Wrist and Hand Exercises, Phase 2: Control and Mobility

Auto Injury Chiropractic · Home Exercise Library

Wrist and Hand Exercises, Phase 2: Control and Mobility

WH-2 · Version 1.0, October 2026

Building on Phase 1, this phase adds gentle stretching of the wrist with the opposite hand, forearm rotation work, and a real-world wringing motion, pushing the range a little further with only light household items, like a hammer, for resistance. Start after your provider checks your progress from the previous phase. If you are our patient, your provider will show you any new exercise.

How often: Daily, for this phase. Each session takes about 10 minutes. Times per day and reps are listed on each exercise.

What "no pain" means: Each exercise should not cause sharp pain. A small stretch is okay. If something hurts, stop. Try a smaller motion. If it still hurts, skip that one and tell your provider.

Do not use these exercises if:

• You may have a broken bone in your wrist, forearm, or hand. Wait until your provider checks your scans and says it is safe.
• You have any of the warning signs listed below.
• Your wrist clicks, locks, catches, or pops with movement, and your provider has not yet cleared you with imaging.
• You have pain when you press on the soft hollow on the thumb-side of your wrist (the "anatomical snuffbox"). This can mean a small bone in the wrist is broken even if an early X-ray was negative. Wait for follow-up imaging.
• Numbness or tingling in your hand wakes you up at night, or you are losing strength or muscle bulk at the base of your thumb. Wait for provider clearance.
• Your fingers feel cold or look pale, or your hand has gotten worse instead of better since the injury. Stop everything and seek immediate medical care.

1. Wrist Flexor and Extensor Stretches

Dose: 2 times a day, 30-second hold each direction, each side
You need: None (or use your other hand)

How to do it

1. Flexor stretch (front of forearm): hold your injured arm straight out in front of you, palm UP, elbow straight.
2. Use your other hand to gently pull the fingers DOWNWARD (toward the floor). You should feel a stretch along the FRONT of the forearm. Hold 30 seconds.
3. Extensor stretch (back of forearm): same setup, but now palm DOWN, elbow straight.
4. Use your other hand to gently pull the fingers DOWNWARD (toward the floor). You should feel a stretch along the BACK of the forearm. Hold 30 seconds.
5. Switch sides if both wrists are involved. Do this 2 times a day.

Too hard? Try this: Pull less hard. Or hold for only 15 seconds. Or skip the side that hurts most until it feels safer.

Too easy? Try this: Combine both stretches: in the palm-down position, also add a slight ulnar deviation (pulling the hand toward the pinky side).

2. Prayer Stretch and Reverse Prayer

Dose: 2 times a day, 30-second hold each position
You need: None

How to do it

1. Prayer stretch: stand or sit with elbows bent. Place your palms together in front of your chest like a prayer position.
2. Keeping the palms pressed together, slowly LOWER your hands toward your belly. Your elbows lift up to the sides as you go.
3. Stop when you feel a stretch on the FRONT of both wrists. Hold 30 seconds. Slowly return.
4. Reverse prayer: now turn the hands so the BACKS of the hands press together in front of your chest, fingertips pointing down.
5. Keeping the backs of the hands pressed together, slowly raise the hands toward your chin. You should feel a stretch on the BACK of both wrists. Hold 30 seconds.

Too hard? Try this: Only do the prayer position, skip the reverse. Or hold for 15 seconds. Or do them one wrist at a time using the opposite hand to hold the position.

Too easy? Try this: Hold for 45 seconds. Or add a slight squeeze of palms together (or backs of hands) for active resistance.

3. Pronation and Supination with Hammer

Dose: 1 time a day, 10 reps each direction
You need: A hammer, screwdriver, or weighted dowel (start light)

How to do it

1. Sit at a table. Rest your forearm flat on the table with the wrist and hand hanging off the edge.
2. Hold the handle of the hammer with the heavy end pointing UP toward the ceiling.
3. Slowly rotate the forearm so the heavy end of the hammer rotates OUTWARD (away from your body) until the handle is parallel to the floor.
4. Slowly rotate back to start. Then rotate the heavy end the OTHER way (toward your body) until parallel to the floor.
5. Move slow. Control both directions. Do 10 reps total each direction.

Too hard? Try this: Hold the hammer closer to the heavy end (shorter lever, less weight). Or use a lighter object like a screwdriver or a small dumbbell.

Too easy? Try this: Hold the hammer near the END of the handle (longer lever, more challenge). Or use a heavier object.

4. Towel Wringing AROM

Dose: 1 time a day, 10 reps total (5 each direction)
You need: A small dry hand towel or washcloth

How to do it

1. Hold a hand towel between both hands, like you are about to wring it out.
2. Slowly twist the ends of the towel in OPPOSITE directions, like wringing out a wet towel.
3. Do NOT squeeze with full force yet. Start at about half-strength.
4. Hold the twisted position 2 seconds. Slowly untwist. Then twist in the OTHER direction.
5. Do 10 reps total: 5 twisting one way, 5 the other.

Too hard? Try this: Use a thin washcloth instead of a towel. Or only squeeze at quarter-strength. Or skip the hold.

Too easy? Try this: Use a slightly damp towel (more resistance). Or hold the twist for 5 seconds.