Wrist Mobility Importance

The wrists are a complex joint full of bone, ligaments, connective tissue, muscles and nerves. It also has multiple ranges of movement such as, flexion and extension, adduction and abduction. It also is the area of transition between the forearm and the hand, so the health of the wrist can directly impact your grip strength. Grip strength is a common debilitating problem we deal with as we age, but we can combat it with proper exercises.

Another thing to consider is that if we lack motion at the wrist, we’ll try to make the motion up at the shoulder and elbow. Conversely, if we lack shoulder mobility, we’ll try to make it up at the elbow and wrists. Therefore, just as it was important to focus on scapular and shoulder mobility a couple months back, it is also important to focus on the wrist, as the two are interconnected and focusing on one may not alleviate the problem for the other.

Throughout our everyday life, we tend to have our wrists in compromised positions, such as driving, or sitting at a computer keyboard, that can bind them up and cause problems. If the wrists are stiff or weak, this will place additional stress on the structures of your arm and down the front of your forearm throughout our daily active lives. Whether you’re playing sports, lifting weights, carrying the groceries, or picking up your children, this seemingly small weakness and tightness can lead to bigger issues. With that in mind, we need to address the elements of wrist mobility and strength, through proper exercises and stretching in order to continue to lead our active lives, pain free.