Wrist Stretch

This exercise stretches the muscles that move your wrists and fingers. The muscles of your forearms move your fingers so that you can type and use a mouse. Because typing is a repetitive task, these muscles work repetitively as you type, and the more they work, the tighter they get, increasing the risk of repetitive injury. To prevent these muscles from tightening and overloading, you should stretch them periodically.

Performing the wrist stretch:

1. With your elbow at your side and your arm bent at 90 degrees, hold your left hand in front of you with your palm down.
2. Keep your fingers together and try not to cup your hand while you slowly bend your wrist as far as you can so that your fingers point downward.
3. Hold this stretch for 5-10 seconds.
4. Keep your fingers together as you slowly raise your hand so that your fingers are pointing up.
5. Hold this stretch for 5-10 seconds.
6. Repeat 3 times.

Alternative ways to perform the wrist stretch:

If you have trouble performing the wrist stretch as described:

1. Hold your arms in front of you with your hands faced down.
2. Shake your hands at the wrist for 5-10 seconds.
3. Rest.
4. Repeat 3 times.

If you feel any discomfort or pain while performing the wrist stretch, STOP immediately and consult your health care provider.

Ergonomics and You

Health and Body

• Posture
  • Angled Hands
  • Arched Hands
  • Bent Neck
  • Body Twist
  • Eye Strain
  • Feet and Legs
  • Hunched Back
  • Phone Pinch
  • Pinched Fingers
  • Tips for Comfortable Posture
• Bursitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)
• Tendonitis
• Tenosynovitis

Office Ergonomics

• Chair
• Desk
  • Keyboard
  • Lighting
  • Monitor
  • Mouse
  • Wrist Rest
• Stretching Exercises

Nine Stretches & Alternate Instructions

• Chest Stretch
• Eye Relaxer
• Finger Stretch
• Lower-back Stretch
• Neck Stretch
• Neck Stretch II
• Shoulder Roll
• Upper-back Stretch
• Wrist Stretch