Wrist issues

[paradox_dragon]

I have noticed that when doing push-ups (or anything that requires me to exert force with my palms flat and my wrists bent), I get sharp pains in my wrists. This is lessened, though not eliminated, when I do the pushups at an incline (like against a wall). I have also found that doing floor push-ups with my hands wrapped around the shafts of a pair of dumbbells really helps. I have tried doing push-ups on my fists, and it feels like all my knuckles are being ground into powder, so that's a no-go.

What I am wondering is: If I keep doing wall push-ups and limited numbers of floor push-ups with my palms flat, working my way up to more, will my wrists strengthen up, or will I make it worse? Are there any exercises I could do to help with these issues? I would rather fix the problem than just compensate for it, if it's possible, but I also don't want to end up breaking myself.

Note: I suspect that these issues are from spending 6+ hours a day on my laptop. I sometimes get aches and pains in my wrists and forearms even without exerting pressure, if I've been typing for a long time or whatever.

Comments

[sanguinity]

Downward dog (the yoga pose) helped me work through my wrist pain problem. I'm not sure if my wrists got stronger, or if I learned to activate or extend through my wrists (or both), but given how the fix has endured even through lazy periods, I think I learned to carry my weight differently through my wrists. Instead of letting my weight crush down into the heels of my hands, I... push away/through the floor with my hands.

It's hard to explain. Someone who is more savvy might know what I'm talking about and explain it better.

[paradox_dragon]

That actually makes a lot of sense--thanks!