Sep 7, 2018A Helping Hand
Many athletes can be prone to hand and wrist injuries, from thumb sprains and jammed fingers to tendonitis and bone fractures. These might seem like the end of an athlete’s training, but with the proper adjustments, athletes can continue to make significant strides while nursing an injury or dealing with a chronic issue. All it takes is a little creativity.
Joe Fleming, the President at ViveHealth.com, explains how to adjust training when an athlete has injured their hand or wrist, or when an athlete has a chronic hand or wrist issue. The first step is recognizing exactly what the injury is and what likely caused it. This will help you make decisions in the weightroom and design workouts that will prevent any further injury.
Injuries can be broken down into two categories: traumatic or acute injuries and chronic overuse injuries. An acute injury occurs when an athlete experiences a sudden trauma, such as jamming their finger during a game. Other common acute injuries include fractures, joint dislocations, strains and sprains, and ligament tears. Chronic overuse can result in issues like tendonitis, which occurs when the tendons in the wrist or hand become irritated and inflamed.
When an athlete is dealing with one of these issues, whether it’s brought on by overuse or a sudden traumatic event, exercising might seem impossible, especially strength training since their grip will be compromised. Yet, there are actually still a lot of exercises athletes can do to stay active and make progress while their hand or wrist heals.
Fleming provides a guide to strength training exercises that take pressure of the hands and wrists:
Instead of Deadlifts
Exercises like deadlifts require athletes to grip a barbell or dumbbell, but there are other ways to target the posterior chain. Instead of deadlifts, do hip thrusts, bodyweight step-ups, or glute-hamstring raises.
Instead of Bench Presses or Push-ups
Athletes should try doing machine chest presses or cable flyes instead of bench presses or push-ups. These exercises still require the use of your hands, but it is easier to keep your wrists straight and palms open. As long as the athlete is not wearing a cast, they should be able to execute these exercises correctly without putting a lot of pressure on the wrists or hands.
Instead of Rows
Instead of the typical rows, there is a hands-free variation that will still help strengthen the back while the hand or wrist heals. Simply lie down between two boxes with the backs of your upper arms resting on top of the boxes. Press your elbows and upper arms into the boxes and use your back muscles to lift and lower your torso.
Other Hands-Free Exercises
You can design a complete training regimen that takes pressure of the hands and wrists. There are plenty of effective exercises to choose from. Some of the best ones include: bodyweight squats, leg press, machine hamstring curls, Bulgarian split squats, walking or stationary lunges, walking and running, and forearm planks and side planks.
When you are working with an athlete that is dealing with an injury or chronic use issue, always be sure to ask them if they’re feeling any discomfort or pain during the exercises. This will help ensure that you aren’t doing any further damage and can inform if you need to make other adjustments or switch to a different exercise. If done correctly, your athletes should be able to keep progressing with their training while their injury safely heals.
