injure-proofing your wrists

Exercises to Injure-Proof Your WristsKeeping your wrists strong and flexible and alleviating strain on the carpal tunnel by stretching your wrists often during the day can help prevent injury. These exercises should be done three to five times a week. (A sixteen ounce soft-drink bottle or can of food can be used instead of a dumbbell.)
Note: Do not do these exercises if you already have pain or numbness. They are meant as a preventive measure and may aggravate an existing problem.

1. Limbering up:
Massage the inside and outside of hand with thumb and fingers.
Grasp fingers and gently bend back wrist. Hold for five seconds.
Gently pull thumb down and back until you feel the stretch. Hold for five seconds.
Clench fist tightly, then release, fanning out fingers. Repeat five times.

2. Wrist Rotation: Stand or sit with your elbows close to your waist, your forearms extended in front of you and parallel to the floor, and your palms facing down. Make fists with both hands and make circles with your fists in one direction. Do 10 repetitions, then reverse the direction. Next, open your hands, extend your fingers and repeat the entire sequence.

3. Wrist Curl: Stand or sit with your elbows close to your waist, your forearms extended in front of you and parallel to the floor, and your palms facing down. Grasp a one-pound dumbbell in each hand and slowly bend your wrists down, holding for five seconds. Do 10 repetitions.

4. Sideways Wrist Bend: Stand or sit with your elbows close to your waist, your forearms extended in front of you and parallel to the floor, and your palms facing down. Grasp a one-pound dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your forearms still, slowly bend your wrists from side to side, moving the weights toward, then away from one another in a windshield wiper-like motion. Do 10 repetitions.

5. Wrist Twist: Stand or sit with your elbows close to your waist, your forearms extended in front of you and parallel to the floor, and your palms down. Grasp a one-pound dumbbell in each hand and slowly turn your wrists and forearms until your palms are facing up, then turn them down again. Do 10 repetitions.