5 Wrist Mobility Exercises To Do If Push Ups Hurt Your Wrists

If push-ups hurt your wrists, limited mobility and weak supporting muscles are often to blame.

The solution is to incorporate five targeted wrist mobility exercises—wrist circles, backward-facing wrist stretches, forward-facing wrist stretches, palm pulses, and wrist walks—that can help reduce discomfort.

Keep reading for a detailed breakdown of each exercise and tips to modify your push-ups for better wrist support.

Why Push-Ups Can Hurt Your Wrists

Wrist pain during push-ups is a common frustration for many people, and it often feels like an unavoidable part of the exercise.

However, understanding the root causes of this discomfort can help you address the problem effectively.

It’s not just about the push-up itself—factors like wrist mobility, muscle strength, and even past injuries can all play a role in how your wrists handle the load.

Common Causes of Wrist Pain During Push-Ups

One of the main reasons for wrist pain during push-ups is limited wrist mobility.

Your wrists need to bend backward, or extend, to support your body in the push-up position.

If the joints are stiff or the muscles around them—especially the forearm flexors and extensors—are tight, this movement becomes restricted.

This lack of mobility forces your wrists to work harder than they should, leading to discomfort or even strain.

Weakness in the muscles supporting the wrist is another major factor.

While push-ups are often seen as a chest or arm exercise, they also demand a lot from the small stabilizing muscles in your wrists and forearms.

If these muscles aren’t strong enough, your wrists bear more of the load, increasing stress on the joints and ligaments.

Over time, this imbalance can cause recurring pain or even chronic issues.

Poor push-up form can also contribute significantly to wrist pain.

Common mistakes like flaring your elbows too wide, letting your shoulders collapse, or placing your hands too far forward shift unnecessary pressure onto your wrists.

When your form is off, your body weight isn’t distributed evenly, and your wrists end up compensating for that imbalance.

Lastly, previous wrist injuries or overuse issues can make your wrists more sensitive to the demands of push-ups.

Old sprains, strains, or repetitive stress injuries can reduce joint stability or cause lingering stiffness.

Even if an injury has healed, scar tissue or altered movement patterns might still affect how your wrists handle pressure.

How Wrist Mobility Affects Push-Up Performance

Wrist mobility plays a critical role in push-up performance because the exercise requires a significant degree of wrist extension—the motion of bending your hand backward so your palm moves closer to the top of your forearm.

This position places stress on the joints, tendons, and muscles around the wrist.

If you lack sufficient mobility, your body will compensate in ways that can cause discomfort, such as shifting more weight onto the heels of your hands or allowing your elbows to flare out, which alters the mechanics of the push-up.

When your wrists can't comfortably extend to the necessary angle, your form suffers.

You might subconsciously limit your range of motion, leading to incomplete push-ups, or change your hand placement in ways that strain other parts of your body, like your shoulders and elbows.

Additionally, poor wrist mobility can reduce load-bearing capacity, meaning your wrists struggle to support your body weight effectively.

This not only increases the risk of pain but also reduces the overall efficiency of your push-up, making it harder to build strength where you intend to.

Improving wrist mobility helps distribute the load more evenly across your hands and forearms, allowing you to maintain proper alignment and perform push-ups with less strain.

This results in better technique, more effective workouts, and, most importantly, less wrist discomfort.

5 Wrist Mobility Exercises to Relieve Push-Up Pain

If push-ups leave your wrists feeling sore or stiff, targeted mobility exercises can help ease the discomfort.

These exercises improve flexibility, strengthen the muscles around your wrists, and increase your range of motion, making it easier to maintain proper form during push-ups.

Here’s a breakdown of five effective wrist mobility exercises, including how to perform them correctly and tips to maximize their benefits.

Wrist Circles

Purpose: Wrist circles are designed to enhance the overall range of motion in your wrists.

They help loosen up the joints and improve fluidity in movement, which is essential for exercises like push-ups that require wrist extension under load.

How to Perform:
Extend both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height.

Make a light fist with each hand to keep the movement controlled.

Slowly rotate your wrists in a circular motion, moving them clockwise for 15–20 rotations.

After completing the first set, switch directions and perform another 15–20 rotations counterclockwise.

Tips for Proper Form:
Focus on smooth, controlled movements rather than rushing through the rotations.

Keep your arms steady to isolate the movement in your wrists.

Avoid stiff, jerky motions, as the goal is to gently increase mobility, not force the range of motion.

Backward-Facing Wrist Stretch

Purpose: This stretch targets the wrist flexor muscles on the underside of your forearm, helping to improve wrist extension.

Increasing flexibility in these muscles can reduce the strain placed on your wrists during push-ups.

How to Perform:
Start by kneeling on the floor and placing your hands flat on the ground in front of you, with your fingers pointing back toward your knees.

Spread your fingers slightly to distribute the pressure evenly.

Keeping your palms flat, gently shift your body weight backward toward your heels until you feel a mild stretch along the underside of your forearms.

Hold for a few seconds, then shift forward to release the tension.

Perform five repetitions, and on the final rep, hold the stretch for 5–10 seconds. Repeat for an additional set if needed.

Key Cues:
Ensure your palms remain flat against the floor throughout the movement.

Move slowly and with control, avoiding any sudden shifts in weight that could strain your wrists.

If the stretch feels too intense, reduce the range of motion by not shifting as far back.

Forward-Facing Wrist Stretch

Purpose: This exercise targets the wrist extensor muscles on the top of your forearm, which are crucial for maintaining wrist stability during push-ups.

Stretching these muscles helps improve wrist flexion, reducing stiffness and discomfort.

How to Perform:
Place your hands flat on the floor with your fingers pointing forward, positioning them directly under your shoulders.

Rotate your elbow pits slightly forward to create external rotation in the arms, which improves alignment.

Gently shift your body weight forward, creating a stretch along the tops of your wrists and forearms.

Pulse into the stretch five times with controlled movements, and on the last rep, hold the stretch for 5–10 seconds. Complete another set for a deeper stretch.

Tips for Proper Form:
Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid letting them collapse toward the floor.

Make sure your fingers remain spread wide to distribute pressure evenly.

The stretch should feel gentle—not painful—so adjust your body weight accordingly.

Palm Pulses

Purpose: Palm pulses are a dynamic exercise that strengthens the small stabilizing muscles around the wrist.

Stronger wrist muscles help support the joint during push-ups, reducing the risk of pain and strain.

How to Perform:
Start in a kneeling position with your hands flat on the floor, fingers spread wide apart.

Keeping your fingers and the base of your palms firmly planted, lift the heels of your palms off the ground while the rest of your hands stay in contact with the floor.

Slowly lower your palms back down and repeat the movement, pulsing up and down 10–30 times in a controlled manner.

Focus on Controlled Movement:
The goal here is not speed but control.

Avoid bouncing or letting momentum do the work. Engage the muscles in your forearms to lift your palms, and keep your elbows slightly soft rather than locked out to prevent unnecessary stress on the joints.

Wrist Walks

Purpose: Wrist walks are a dynamic stretch that improves flexibility, control, and strength in the wrists and forearms.

This exercise helps you develop better wrist awareness, which translates to more stable and comfortable push-ups.

How to Perform:
Stand facing a wall and place your palms flat against it at shoulder height, fingers pointing upward.

While keeping your palms in contact with the wall, slowly “walk” your hands down the wall as far as you can go comfortably.

Once you reach your limit, rotate your hands so that your fingers point downward and walk your hands back up to the starting position.

Repeat this sequence for several rounds, focusing on controlled movement.

How to Adjust Based on Your Mobility Level:
If you find it difficult to walk your hands down very far, that’s okay—work within your current range of motion and aim to improve over time.

The key is to maintain palm contact with the wall throughout the movement and avoid rushing.

As your wrist flexibility improves, you’ll be able to walk your hands lower without discomfort.

Modifications to Reduce Wrist Pain During Push-Ups

If wrist pain continues to be an issue even after incorporating mobility exercises, modifying your push-up technique can make a significant difference.

These simple adjustments help reduce the strain on your wrists by either changing the angle of extension, redistributing weight, or maintaining a more neutral wrist position.

The goal is to allow you to keep building strength without aggravating your wrists.

Push-Up Bars or Dumbbells

Using push-up bars or a pair of dumbbells is one of the most effective ways to reduce wrist strain.

When performing push-ups with your hands flat on the floor, your wrists are forced into an extended position, which can be uncomfortable if you have limited mobility.

Push-up bars or dumbbells allow you to keep your wrists in a neutral position, similar to a handshake grip.

This alignment reduces the angle at which your wrists are bent, minimizing stress on the joint.

To use them effectively, ensure the bars or dumbbells are stable and won’t roll.

Place them shoulder-width apart, grip them firmly, and keep your knuckles pointing forward.

This setup allows you to maintain proper push-up form while significantly reducing wrist discomfort.

Fist Push-Ups

Fist push-ups are another great modification, as they completely eliminate the need for wrist extension.

By performing push-ups on your fists, you maintain straight wrists, which reduces the strain on the joint.

This variation can be particularly helpful if you’re dealing with acute wrist pain or recovering from an injury.

To do fist push-ups safely, make a firm fist with both hands and rest your knuckles on the ground.

It’s important to keep your wrists straight and aligned with your forearms.

Perform the push-up as you normally would, ensuring that your knuckles are evenly supporting your weight.

If you’re on a hard surface, consider using a mat or padding to protect your knuckles from discomfort.

Elevated Push-Ups

Elevating your hands on a surface like a bench, step, or sturdy box can help reduce wrist pain by decreasing the angle of wrist extension required.

The higher your hands are relative to your feet, the less pressure there is on your wrists because your body weight is more evenly distributed.

To perform elevated push-ups, place your hands shoulder-width apart on an elevated surface with your fingers pointing forward.

Step your feet back into a plank position, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.

Lower your chest toward the surface while maintaining control, then push back up.

This modification not only reduces wrist strain but also allows you to focus on maintaining good form as you build strength.

Adjusting Hand Placement

Sometimes, minor adjustments to your hand placement can significantly reduce wrist discomfort.

Placing your hands slightly wider or turning your fingers outward at a small angle can relieve tension on the wrists.

This small rotation reduces the demand for extreme wrist extension and helps distribute the load more evenly across your hands and forearms.

Experiment with different hand positions to find what feels most comfortable.

For example, instead of having your fingers pointing straight ahead, try angling them outward at 30 to 45 degrees.

Also, ensure that your hands are positioned directly under your shoulders—placing them too far forward can increase wrist strain.

Pay attention to how your wrists feel as you adjust, and choose the position that allows you to maintain proper form without discomfort.

Building a Wrist-Friendly Push-Up Routine

Creating a wrist-friendly push-up routine isn’t just about what you do during the exercise—it’s also about how you prepare beforehand and how consistently you work on wrist mobility outside of your workouts.

By combining proper warm-up techniques with regular mobility drills, you can reduce the risk of wrist pain, improve push-up performance, and build long-term joint health.

Warm-Up Strategies

Warming up your wrists before push-ups is essential because it prepares the joints, muscles, and connective tissues to handle the load and range of motion required.

Unlike larger muscle groups that often get warmed up through general movement, the wrists need specific attention since they’re smaller, less robust joints that aren’t naturally as mobile or strong.

A quick, effective wrist warm-up sequence should focus on increasing blood flow, improving joint mobility, and gently activating the muscles that support the wrist.

Here’s a simple routine you can do in just a few minutes before your push-up workout:

  1. Wrist Circles (15–20 rotations each direction): Start by loosening up the joints to improve overall range of motion. Keep the movements controlled and smooth to avoid unnecessary strain.
  2. Backward-Facing Wrist Stretch (5 reps with a 5–10 second hold on the last rep): This targets the wrist flexors, preparing them for the extension required during push-ups.
  3. Forward-Facing Wrist Stretch (5 reps with a 5–10 second hold on the last rep): Focus on gently stretching the wrist extensors to improve flexion and reduce tension.
  4. Palm Pulses (10–20 controlled pulses): Activate the muscles that stabilize the wrist, helping them handle the load during push-ups.
  5. Wrist Walks (2 rounds): Dynamically stretch and strengthen the wrists while also improving control.

This warm-up routine helps reduce stiffness, increases joint lubrication, and primes your wrists for the demands of push-ups.

Skipping this step can leave your wrists vulnerable to strain, especially if you already have limited mobility.

Incorporating Wrist Mobility Drills Regularly

While warming up before workouts is crucial, the key to long-term wrist health is consistency.

Wrist mobility doesn’t improve overnight, and regular practice—even on non-training days—can lead to significant gains in flexibility, strength, and overall joint resilience.

Incorporating wrist mobility drills into your weekly routine doesn’t have to be time-consuming.

Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference, especially if you’re dealing with chronic wrist discomfort or stiffness.

The goal is to create a habit that supports your push-up performance over the long term.

Sample Weekly Schedule for Wrist Health:

  • 3–4 Days a Week (Workout Days):
    • Perform the full wrist warm-up sequence before your workout.
    • Add a quick post-workout stretch focusing on any areas that feel tight.
  • 2–3 Days a Week (Rest or Active Recovery Days):
    • Spend 5–10 minutes doing light wrist mobility work. This can include wrist circles, gentle stretches, and wrist walks.
    • Focus on slow, controlled movements to improve joint awareness and flexibility.
  • Daily Micro-Mobility Breaks (Optional):
    • If you spend long hours typing or using your hands for repetitive tasks, take short breaks to do wrist circles or palm pulses to prevent stiffness from building up.

Conclusion

Wrist pain during push-ups is often caused by limited mobility, weak supporting muscles, or poor form, but it’s manageable with the right approach.

Incorporating targeted wrist mobility exercises, modifying your push-up technique, and staying consistent with your routine can significantly reduce discomfort.

Prioritize these strategies, and you’ll build stronger, more resilient wrists for pain-free push-ups.