9 Exercises to Strengthen Your Wrists

To perform this wrist stretch, place your palm over the fingers of the other hand. Gently pull the fingers back toward your wrist, away from your palm. Count slowly to 25, and then release. Then stretch the other wrist the same way.

Hold one arm out straight in front of you, palm down and fingers extended. Bend the wrist at a 90-degree angle, pointing your fingers to the floor. Use your other hand to gently pull your hand back toward you. You’ll feel the stretch in your forearm. Count 15 to 30 seconds, and release. Then stretch your other wrist the same way, and repeat both sides a couple of times.

With your arms extended forward, press the backs of your wrists together. Gently stretch your hands away from each other, while keeping your wrists touching. Count slowly to 25 and release. This wrist exercise helps stretch your forearm and elbow muscles.

Grab a rolled-up towel or washcloth to support your wrist during this stretch. Put the towel at the edge of a table and rest your wrist on it, with your hand over the edge, palm facing downward. Raise your hand (extending the muscle) until you feel the stretch in your wrist, and hold for about 10 seconds. Then lower your hand (flexing the muscle) for a good stretch. Repeat the exercise several times. Then switch to the other wrist.

This exercise is called a wrist supination and pronation. Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle, with your palm facing down. Then rotate your forearm so your palm faces up (supination) and hold the position for up to 10 seconds. Then rotate your palm back down toward the floor (pronation) and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this motion 10 times, and then switch to stretch the other wrist. Be sure to keep your elbow still as you rotate your forearm.

Use your rolled-up towel or washcloth to support your wrist on the edge of a table. Hold your hand out straight, palm facing toward the side with your thumb toward the ceiling. Bend gently at the wrist up and down, kind of like you’re waving. Your thumb will move straight up toward the ceiling, and then your pinkie finger will move straight down toward the floor. Hold a few seconds as you move up and down, and repeat the stretch several times on each side. You can also do this exercise with your palm facing down. Bending your wrist toward the pinkie finger is called ulnar flexion (or ulnar deviation), and bending the wrist toward the thumb is called radial deviation (or radial deviation).

If you have a resistance band, add it to these exercises to further strengthen your wrists. You’ll have to adjust your positioning slightly to use the band. To perform the wrist extension exercise, sit and place your forearm on your leg with your wrist out beyond your knee. Hold the resistance band with your palm facing down, and put the other end of the band under your foot, keeping the band taut. Gently bend your wrist upward as you count slowly to 2. Then lower your wrist slowly as you count to 5. Repeat several times, and switch sides. Then, flip your arm over and slowly flex your wrist upward, holding the resistance band.

Similar to using a resistance band, holding small weights in your hand as you flex and extend the muscles in your arm is also a great exercise to strengthen your wrists. Position your arm the same way on your leg, and hold the weight as you bend your wrist slowly up and down to flex and extend the muscles. Repeat on both sides. Try holding the weights while you rotate your forearm for another wrist strengthening exercise.

Performing wrist exercises that don’t move the joint are helpful to strengthen the muscles without putting added stress on the wrist joint itself. To do this, hold your forearm out. Your palm can face up or down—the key is to hold your palm motionless with the other hand. Attempt to bend your outstretched wrist while your opposite hand pushes up against your palm, creating resistance without moving the joint. Try to bend the wrist up and down and side to side several times. Then switch hands.