Bone fractures are not easy to manage, especially when they interfere with a regular physical activity program. However, if you have broken your wrist, you don't have to stop exercising until you recover.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Doing Aerobic Exercises
Step 1. Go for a walk or a run
Both of these activities offer many health benefits and can be done even with a broken wrist. Based on your fitness goals, you can change the distance and intensity to make the exercise more strenuous.
- Remember to keep your wrist in a neutral position as you walk.
- Contract your abs slightly and keep your back straight to engage the muscles of the abdominal corset.
- Walking and running regularly contributes to physical well-being, because it strengthens muscles and bones, helps maintain a normal weight, improves balance and coordination.
Step 2. Play tennis
It is one of the sports that can be practiced with one hand. It is also a good alternative to running and walking. Again, keep the injured wrist in a shoulder strap so that it assumes a neutral position throughout the game while using your good hand to play.
- In addition to improving the health of the cardiovascular system and reducing adipose tissue, tennis allows the development of the muscles of the legs, but especially those of the shoulder and arm.
- Running and jumping improve bone density and strength.
Step 3. Play football
This sport involves a lot of running and is a perfect cardio exercise, not to mention that it allows you to have fun with friends. Lock your wrist with a shoulder strap and put your legs into action!
Step 4. Take dance or aerobics lessons
In addition to providing all the health benefits, just like the activities described above, dancing and aerobics allow you to do it in style. When you get bored of a certain type of class, you can switch and choose one of the available activities, such as Zumba, jazzercise or step.
Make sure your wrist is always in a neutral position and avoid movements that involve it (perform them with one hand)
Step 5. Take a hike and enjoy nature
Trekking is an exceptional type of training that can also be very strenuous, depending on the path you have chosen. Walk uphill carefully, as you need to avoid falling and causing more damage to your wrist. Uphill hiking increases cardiac output and burns some extra calories. Don't forget to enjoy the view. Trekking allows you to relax and get rid of stress, as well as improve physical fitness.
Part 2 of 4: Doing Muscle Building Exercises
Step 1. Strengthen your leg muscles
You can work the various muscles of the body without using or putting pressure on the fractured wrist. To train the lower limbs, do a few simple squats and lunges while keeping your arms at your sides.
- Do squats with your legs wide apart, facing forward, and your back straight. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor as you push your butt back and bring your knees slightly forward. Remember that the feet and knees must point in the same direction, avoid that the latter go beyond the vertical line of the toes. Return to a standing position and repeat the exercise.
- Do alternate lunges by stepping forward with one leg. Lower the body by bending the hip and knee of the front leg, until the back knee almost touches the floor. Rise up and repeat the lunge with the other leg.
Step 2. Increase the strength of the back muscles
While many exercises require the use of barbells and dumbbells, you can perform others in bodyweight, despite a broken wrist.
- Try bridging by lying on your back on the floor with your arms close to your body. Place the soles of your feet on the ground with your knees bent; slowly lift your butt until your knees and shoulders form a straight line. Hold for 10-15 seconds, lower your pelvis and repeat.
- Try Pilates exercises that don't require hand support. Lie on the floor in a prone position with your arms close to your body and extended towards your feet. Raise your legs and upper body at the same time using your back muscles. Count to 10-15, relax and repeat the sequence.
Step 3. Strengthen your abs
This muscle group can be easily trained even with a fractured wrist - for example, by doing crunches and twists.
- To do crunches, lie down on the floor with your calves on a bench. Keep the arm with the injured wrist along the body throughout the exercise and bring the healthy one behind the neck. Lift your upper torso off the mat by contracting your abdominal muscles. Bring your torso as high as you can while keeping your lower back close to the floor. Lower the trunk and repeat the exercise.
- To perform the twists, keep both arms on the ground and spread them outward while lying on your back. Bend your knees slightly and lift your legs off the ground until your knees form a 90 degree angle. Bring your legs to the side so that one thigh touches the floor. Bring them back to the center and lower them on the other side. Repeat the exercise alternating the two sides.
Part 3 of 4: Physiotherapy
Step 1. Do wrist pushups and extensions
These are just two of the different fundamental exercises that allow the joint to regain the functionality it had before the accident. However, you don't have to start doing them until your doctor authorizes you. Start slowly and stop immediately if you feel pain.
- Rest the forearm of the injured wrist on the table.
- The palm of the hand should be facing down and the wrist should be over the edge of the table.
- Move your hand up by moving the wrist joint and close your fingers into a fist.
- Lower your hand and relax your fingers.
- You should hold each position for six seconds.
Step 2. Do the hand twists
This movement should only be performed after receiving the approval of the doctor or physiotherapist. Do eight to twelve repetitions, but only if you're not in pain.
- Sit down with your injured wrist and forearm resting on your thigh, palm down.
- Rotate your hand so that the palm is now facing up and the back on the thigh.
- Repeat these twists alternating the two positions.
Step 3. Try the ulnar and radial deviation exercises
These terms indicate the lateral movements of the wrist. Start slowly and only if you feel no pain do 8-12 repetitions.
- Hold the hand corresponding to the fractured wrist in front of you, palm down.
- Slowly bend the joint by bringing your hand as far as possible to the right and then to the left.
- You should hold each position for six seconds.
Step 4. Stretch your wrist extensor muscles
This type of exercise is effective in getting the joint back into shape. If there is no pain, repeat the movement two to four times.
- Extend the arm corresponding to the injured wrist.
- Point your fingers towards the floor.
- Use your other hand to bend your wrist, until you feel a slight to moderate stretch in the forearm muscles.
- Hold the position for 15-30 seconds.
Step 5. Stretch your wrist flexors
This stretching might be a bit difficult at first. Deal with it gradually and don't overdo it if you are in pain.
- Extend your arm with the fractured wrist in front of you and the palm facing forward.
- Point your fingers towards the ceiling by bending the joint backwards.
- Use your other hand to pull your hand towards you or press your fingers against a wall.
- When you feel the stretch in your forearm muscles, stop.
Step 6. Do push-ups of the intrinsic hand muscles
This type of movement helps regain grip strength after injury.
- Rest the side of the fractured wrist on the table while keeping your fingers straight.
- Bend your fingers towards you at the metacarpophalangeal joints, but keep your fingers straight, so that they form a right angle.
- Return your hand to the starting position and repeat the exercise.
Step 7. Make extensions for the metacarpophalangeal joints
This is another exercise that allows you to strengthen your grip; in theory, it should be repeated eight to twelve times per session.
- Place your good hand on the table with the palm facing up.
- Wrap the thumb of this hand with the fingers corresponding to the injured wrist.
- Slowly open the joints of the hand that suffered the fracture.
- Bend the first two knuckles only, so that the fingers take on a claw-like appearance.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the sequence.
Step 8. Do finger and thumb exercises
To enjoy the best benefits of these movements, you need to do them as quickly as possible.
- Use the thumb of the injured hand to touch the tips of all other fingers. Move it very quickly.
- Place the hand corresponding to the fractured wrist with the palm up and bend the thumb until it touches the base of the little finger; then stretch it sideways as much as you can.
Part 4 of 4: Making a Broken Wrist Strap
Step 1. Get a large triangular bandage to make the shoulder strap
When training with a fractured wrist, you need to use this type of support to keep the joint in a neutral position. In addition to protecting the wrist, the shoulder strap prevents it from moving excessively and suffering other damage.
Step 2. Take a triangular bandage and slide it under the injured arm
The tip of the triangle should protrude well beyond the elbow.
Step 3. Pull the end of the bandage
Proceed gently, so that the top of the triangle reaches the opposite shoulder and wraps around the nape of the neck.
Step 4. Pull the opposite side up
Take the end of the shoulder strap that hangs down and bring it over your injured arm. Two vertices of the triangle should meet behind the neck.
Step 5. Ask someone to help you tie the ends with a knot
You cannot perform this step alone.
Have the helper knot the ends of the shoulder strap above the level of the collarbone
Step 6. Adjust the bandage
Ask this person to arrange the shoulder strap so that it can support the entire forearm, from the elbow to the little finger.
Adjust the bandage around the elbow by locking the third tip of the triangle with a safety pin or tucking it inside the bandage
Advice
- Do not use gym machines that require the use of hands. Even if you think you can do the exercise with one hand, don't! You could suffer further injuries.
- Do not swim with a fractured wrist and do not allow the cast to get wet in the shower (wrap it in a plastic bag), unless you have a fiberglass cast, with a specially designed waterproof coating. to be exposed to water.
- Talk to your doctor before exercising. Make sure he is aware of your intentions and let him advise you which moves you can make and which ones you should avoid.
- Ask your doctor for approval before engaging in any physical activity. Sweat builds up inside the plaster, causing itching and even mold. Furthermore, profuse sweating can alter the effectiveness of the cast.
