Anyone know anything about wrist rehab?

[Ruz]

So, I blame it on DC training!! it calls for you to do 1 all out, rest paused set per muscle group.

Its really effective and over just a few months I have made incredible strength gains.

I've progressed from doing bent over 1 armed DB rows with 20k DBs to 32k DB's, and from curling with 12k to 16k DBs and my muscles have grown very quickly...but I think this is the problem...

My joints are killing me! Especially my wrists! Today I couldn't even train biceps because my wrists hurt so much. i was thinking of binding them but maybe that would only weaken them more

So i've decided I'm not going to use any bars in any form for a while, and do everything with ropes and DB's, or individual arms so that my wrists can follow a more natural movement. I'm also going to have to change my training for a while, I was considering using high reps low weights, partials (working in the range where my wrists dont hurt so much) or maybe heavy weights and static contractions... but I still haven't decided...

However, i was wondering if anyone knew any specific exercises to help my wrists recover and strengthen so that I can get back to DC training soon. Or do you know if this could be provoked by a lack of something in my diet?

DC training is really effective, but I dont know if I am a little old for this method. Maybe a younger person wouldn't suffer so much with their joints training this way (I'll send the book to anyone who is interested cause I love it. Short intense workouts and notable muscle growth). However, if i keep suffering from problems, unfortunately I'll have to give it a miss.

[Pegesus]

I experienced a wrist injury a few months ago from doing Incline DB Curls. It took me about 6 weeks to recover from it. I found that working with DB during that period was harder for me since it put more of a strain on the individual wrist that was in pain. I also purchased one of the wrist supports the kind that wraps around the thumb and goes down just past the wrist and is adjustable. Keeping that tight during my workouts helped alot to keep my wrist from moving out of place. Now my wrist is fine however I still stay away from Incline DB Curls and I only do pushup on my knuckles in fear of injuring the wrist again.

[Ruz]

I experienced a wrist injury a few months ago from doing Incline DB Curls. It took me about 6 weeks to recover from it. I found that working with DB during that period was harder for me since it put more of a strain on the individual wrist that was in pain. I also purchased one of the wrist supports the kind that wraps around the thumb and goes down just past the wrist and is adjustable. Keeping that tight during my workouts helped alot to keep my wrist from moving out of place. Now my wrist is fine however I still stay away from Incline DB Curls and I only do pushup on my knuckles in fear of injuring the wrist again.

Ok thanks..so maybe I should try a wrap. Do you still have to use it or have you recovered completely?

I know what you mean about training, even with DB's ...pff! Maybe I'¡l wrap my wrists and do some static contractions for a month. i always wanted to try working out like that but never did. This gives me the perfect reason. I hate dropping reps and weight because I can just FEEL the muscles getting smaller so statics seem the only option.

[Pegesus]

Nope I don't wear it anymore. Thankfully. I would say stay with static. I never went up in weight I just omitted the two exercises that caused me great pain. I also pinpointed the cause was do to not keeping my wrist in its proper position during the exercise. Something I didn't even know I was doing until it started to hurt.

[VeganEssentials]

Skateboarding has done some fine work on my wrists over the years (my log from earlier this year shows where both of them were minorly sprained for about 3 weeks around March), so I definitely feel your pain there.

 

I did a lot of wrist stretching on my off days from training, did some light wrist curls from time to time (I've also got a bunch of specialized wrist training tools, which didn't hurt any), but I could barely do any overhead pressing for a full month, and even holding the bar for squats was downright painful. I'd say to soak your hands and wrists in ice water if you feel extremely sore or feel a flare-up after training (about 2 minutes, in, 1 minute out, repeat 4-5 times each day), and just work on being able to get a full ROM back without pain as best you can over time. Avoid any lifts that are overly strenuous (for me, it was any pressing movements), work around it as best you can, and wait it out. Not a whole lot more I can think of, unfortunately, but hopefully in a few weeks you'll be feeling considerably better!

[Ruz]

Thanks everyone!

[MartinVegartin]

You might find something of use on the gymnastic bodies forum. In their 'getting started' section they have a thread about joint rehab and prehab. I haven't looked at it very closely but gymnasts probably know a thing or two about joint conditioning.

 

Your trouble might be caused by 'unnatural' movements, as you mentioned. I know that when I hang from a pull up bar at full stretch - palms facing towards me - my hands want to turn inwards into a more neutral position. But they can't because the bar won't bend. It can hurt my elbows and forearms.

 

My wrists used to hurt like the devil when I first started practising handstands but now I can happily do them without pain. I eased off on the days when they hurt or took a day or two off.

 

Warming up the joints by doing some untaxing work to get blood flowing could help before doing strenuous exercise.

 

You might try reciprocal inhibition and post-isometric relaxation if the problem is caused by muscle strain. They are normally used for tight muscles but I have found that post-isometric relaxation helped me when I had a pain in my left forearm which was very near the elbow. I would grab my right wrist with my left hand and squeeze as hard as I could for a few seconds. When I released the tension, my left forearm would be pain free for half an hour or more.

 

Good luck.

[Marcina]

You can try supplementing your diet with some omega 3s (hemp and flaxseed oil, walnuts) or some vegan glucosamine.

 

Maybe that will help your joints recover.

 

I don't know much about the physical rehab, and it seems everyone else has given you good tips on that

[MartinVegartin]

Just a cautionary note: Some of the joint exercises on the gymnastics forum might not be advisable for non-gymnasts. Gymnasts need very supple bodies - especialy spines - and are probably willing to risk injury to get that suppleness. I'm not convinced that super suppleness in the lower spine is a good thing. The same caution could be applied to their exercises for the wrists and elbows. Gymnasts might need to do them but they could be running risks. Or they might not be. Still, there could be some useful information there.

[Ruz]

You might find something of use on the gymnastic bodies forum. In their 'getting started' section they have a thread about joint rehab and prehab. I haven't looked at it very closely but gymnasts probably know a thing or two about joint conditioning.

 

Your trouble might be caused by 'unnatural' movements, as you mentioned. I know that when I hang from a pull up bar at full stretch - palms facing towards me - my hands want to turn inwards into a more neutral position. But they can't because the bar won't bend. It can hurt my elbows and forearms.

 

My wrists used to hurt like the devil when I first started practising handstands but now I can happily do them without pain. I eased off on the days when they hurt or took a day or two off.

 

 

Good luck.

Actually, what you have said about gymnastics got me thinking.

When I started DC training, as there is so much focus on stretching, I also started a course called "body Balance". Its like stretches with balancing and calls for you to get into some really strange positions, like half handstands or half cartwheels etc and hold your weight on your hands while you maintain the stretch. I'd all but forgotten about it, but I remember commenting to my friend that my wrists hurt after the first class!

Now it seems logical that this is the cause, afterall, I've been bodybuilding for several years and haven't had any problems with my wrists previously.

So at least that's something positive! When my wrists get better I can go back to training as normal, but I think I'll give the bodybalance classes a miss!