Wrist supports

tattykitty

Could anyone recommend some good wrist supports? I've very weak, weedy wrists and years of ergonomically-disastrous office work mean that I suffer pain in them too. I've started lifting weights to increase my strength, but I'm struggling due to the discomfort in my wrists. I probably need to improve my technique to take the pressure off my wrists, but I also figured some kind of support would help. There seems to be several kinds available and I'm not sure which are best. Ideally I don't want anything too tight because I suffer from Raynaud's and want to be sure I don't adversely affect my already-rubbish circulation.

All advice welcomed - thank you.

Nervous Wreck

If they're not tight, they're not gonna give you great support, tbh...

tattykitty

Nervous Wreck wrote: »

If they're not tight, they're not gonna give you great support, tbh...

Well, I just mean not circulation-restricting tight. That said, I'd be willing to give any recommended support a try. My hands probably won't fall off

The Diddakoi

Boots have a great selection of wrist supports.
I use the Thermoskin Brace, which has a metal support in it, for carpal tunnel syndrome.
http://www.boots.com/en/Thermoskin-Wrist-Hand-Brace-with-Dorsal-Stay-Right-Medium_1154426/
I would suggest going to Boots and speaking to the Pharmacist who will be able to recommend something the right size, shape and support for you

tattykitty

alf66 wrote: »

Boots have a great selection of wrist supports.
I use the Thermoskin Brace, which has a metal support in it, for carpal tunnel syndrome.
http://www.boots.com/en/Thermoskin-Wrist-Hand-Brace-with-Dorsal-Stay-Right-Medium_1154426/
I would suggest going to Boots and speaking to the Pharmacist who will be able to recommend something the right size, shape and support for you

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll pop in today. I presume these wouldn't be suitable for lifting weights? Still useful for the pain when using the keyboard, I expect, which will be great. I'll ask the pharmacist.

Cheers

DylanJM

Which exercises are giving you problems with your wrists?

tattykitty

DylanJM wrote: »

Which exercises are giving you problems with your wrists?

Bicep curls and tricep extensions seem to cause the most trouble. I'm using small weights at the moment to get used to them. My elbows hurt sometimes too, so it might be my technique?

DylanJM

If you've only started training recently then it could very well be your technique. Something as simple as changing where in your hand you hold the barbell or dumbbell can decrease to amount of strain being placed on the wrist. Ideally the best position is in the palm of your hand, directly over your forearm. Maybe you could have a trainer look technique and make sure you are doing the exercises properly.

Personally, I'd be reluctant to use wrist wraps straight away as they won't address the problem directly. If you are experiencing pain then it might be best to check with a physio to be on the safe side. It is important though to distinguish between pain and discomfort, as most forms of exercise involve some form of discomfort It may be that you are just not used to the movements yet and require a bit more of an adjustment phase. However if it is pain you are feeling than as I said above maybe see a physio.

I hope this helps you.

deadlybuzzman

DylanJM wrote: »

If you've only started training recently then it could very well be your technique. Something as simple as changing where in your hand you hold the barbell or dumbbell can decrease to amount of strain being placed on the -wrist. Ideally the best position is in the palm of your hand, directly over your forearm. Maybe you could have a trainer look technique and make sure you are doing the exercises properly.

Personally, I'd be reluctant to use wrist wraps straight away as they won't address the problem directly. If you are experiencing pain then it might be best to check with a physio to be on the safe side. It is important though to distinguish between pain and discomfort, as most forms of exercise involve some form of discomfort It may be that you are just not used to the movements yet and require a bit more of an adjustment phase. However if it is pain you are feeling than as I said above maybe see a physio.

I hope this helps you.

Elbow pain used to be a problem for me too. Once I warmed up a bit more it passed.
Although my situation is different to yours (I've had minor fractures in both wrists and can't even do a single push up on my palms only on my knuckles) ive found making my wrists as strong as possible was key.
As long as I keep my wrists straight I'm ok even benching over 100 kg or dips with 40kg of plates

Doug Cartel

Check your technique and check you're not carrying an injury. If it really is a case that your wrists are just a bit weak, start work on strengthening them. Supports are only a short term solution and won't address the problem.

tattykitty

Thanks everyone for your replies - very helpful!

I'm going to speak to one of the trainers in the gym about wrist strengthening exercises for a start; I'll also mention the wrist/elbow pain when I go next to the docs. Considering my wrists give way when I lift heavy pans of water (ie. draining vegetables, etc.) I really do need to address the issue.

Are there exercises that focus upon strengthening the wrists? Or is it more a case of ensuring correct technique when lifting, and I'll gain strength in them by doing the weights anyway?

Thanks again for all your advice.