What Kind of Exercises Should I Be Doing After Wrist Surgery?

Wrist surgery is a common treatment for wrist injuries or conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and fractures. If you have recently undergone wrist surgery, it is essential to know what kind of exercises you should be doing to regain strength and mobility in your wrist. Properly chosen exercises can help you restore your wrist's function and prevent stiffness and complications. In this blog post, we will discuss the types of exercises you should be doing after wrist surgery.

Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises are vital after wrist surgery to improve flexibility and mobility. You can do wrist stretches, finger stretches, and forearm stretches. Flex your fingers and wrist, making a fist and then straightening your arm. Repeat this several times daily. Wrist extension and flexion exercises and forearm pronation and supination exercises can also be beneficial.

Strengthening exercises

After surgery, you need to regain muscle strength to improve range of motion. Some exercises that help strengthen the wrist include ball squeeze, wrist curls, and wrist extensions. To perform a ball squeeze exercise, hold a tennis ball in your palm, squeeze it tight, and then release. Repeat this several times in a day. Wrist curls and wrist extensions can be done with a light-weight object. For wrist curls, hold the object with your palm facing upwards and for extensions hold the object with your palm facing downwards.

Grip strengthening

Exercises that improve grip strength help you regain the ability to perform daily tasks. Some of the exercises that can help improve grip strength include finger extensions, hand grip squeezes, and forearm curls. Finger extensions can be done by putting rubber bands around your fingers and stretching them out. Hand grip squeezes are done by squeezing a soft stress ball. Forearm curls are done by holding an object with your palm facing upwards and curling your wrist towards your forearm.

Range of motion exercises

Range of motion exercises is important to prevent stiffness and enhance wrist mobility. For range of motion exercises, you can do wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation exercises. To do wrist flexion exercises, rest your forearm on a flat surface, bend your wrist to the maximum range of motion, and hold the position for a few seconds before releasing. Repeat this several times. You can do extension exercises in the same way but with your palm facing downwards.

Cardiovascular exercises

Cardiovascular exercises, also known as aerobic exercises, can help improve overall health and wellness. Examples of cardio exercises include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and jogging. Start with low-intensity exercises and gradually increase the intensity and duration.

 

Conclusion

Wrist surgery can be challenging to recover from, but exercises can speed up recovery and prevent complications. Remember to consult your doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise program after surgery. Also, start slowly and gradually build up to prevent reinjury. Exercises help improve flexibility, strength, and range of motion and prevent stiffness in the wrist. Properly chosen exercises improve your overall health and wellness and help you lead an active lifestyle. If you’re seeking an orthopedic surgeon in Altamonte Springs, contact Central Florida Bone and Joint Institute today to schedule an appointment.