Working from home due to COVID-19? Try these easy wrist stretches

Using a computer or other device all day can cause repetitive strain on the muscles, tendons and joints in your hand and cause them to swell. When performing repetitive activities, it’s important to take short, frequent breaks to stretch your hands and wrists.

Virtua Health’s physical therapists recommend these stretches to alleviate the pressure on your wrists.

High/low wrist stretch

• Holding your arms at your sides, bend your arms to 90 degrees.
• Start with your palms facing down.
• Bend your wrists downwards and hold for five seconds.
• Now, bend your wrists upward and hold for five seconds.
• Repeat 10 times.

Wrist flexor stretch

• Sit with your elbows on a table and press your palms together (it should look like you’re praying).
• Keeping your palms together, slowly lower your wrists toward the table until you feel a stretch.
• Hold for five seconds and then release.
• Do two sets, repeating 10 times per set.

Wrist push-ups

• With your arms resting comfortably in your lap, place one hand in the other.
• Push your hand up with the other until you feel tension at the wrist.
• Hold for five seconds and release.
• Repeat 10 times.
• Move to the other hand and repeat 10 times.

You can find more easy wrist stretches on the Virtua website.