Wrist mobility and stability are crucial to helping prevent injury for rock climbers. The joint between the radius and the carpal bones (the wrist) is a common site for stiffness, especially considering the demands that climbers place on their wrists and fingers. Stiffness to the wrist joint can lead to pain at the elbow, wrist, hand, and fingers.
To improve wrist joint mobility, recent research is pointing toward loaded mobility exercises being superior to static stretching. These exercises use a combination of contracting muscles against resistance while moving toward the end range of the joint’s available motion. Rather than performing a static finger or wrist stretch, try these loaded mobility exercises for the wrist to see if you can improve your wrist joint range of motion. If you still have questions, you can schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists to further examine the cause of your wrist stiffness or pain.