Functional Home Exercises for Patients with Wrist Instability

Functional Home Exercises for Patients with Wrist Instability

Ever wondered what brushing your teeth, dressing, making a U-turn, and playing sports have in common? They all rely on a stable wrist. Wrist stability is crucial for everyday activities, supporting wrist proprioception, coordination, motor control, stability, and mobility (Wietlisbach, 2019). For patients recovering from a wrist injury or patients with wrist instability , maintaining this stability is essential, but keeping up with home exercises can be challenging without engaging tools.

In the clinic, fun tools like a disc stacker or gyroball can motivate patients during exercises. However, at home, adherence can wane without these tools.

Here are some simple wrist exercises patients can incorporate into their daily routine:

1.) Towel Wiping

  • Engage in household chores like cleaning tables or mirrors using a soft towel. This activity provides proprioceptive feedback through weight-bearing and tactile sensory input.

    2.) Wrist Stability with a Plate

    • Hold a plate with a marble on it in the palm of your hand, keeping your elbow close to your side. The goal is to keep the marble centered on the plate. For increased difficulty, add more marbles. This exercise enhances proprioception, wrist stability, and motor control.

      3.) Broom Turning and Gripping

      • Before sweeping, practice motor coordination and gripping skills. Hold the broom from the top of its handle, slightly above the floor. Release the broom, then gradually grip lower down the handle without letting it touch the floor. Repeat until reaching the end of the handle. This exercise integrates sensorimotor function into daily activities (IADLs).

        These exercises not only support rehabilitation but also encourage patients to integrate their therapy into daily tasks. By incorporating these activities into their routine, patients can improve their wrist instability and overall recovery. As always make sure this is an appropriate exercise based on the stage of rehabilitation that the patient is in.

        Wietlisbach, C. (2020). Cooper’s Fundamentals of Hand Therapy, 3rd ed. Elsevier Inc.

        Leave a Comment






        More To Read

        How to use Kinesiology Taping for Shoulder Subluxation

        February 9, 2024

        How to us Kinesiology Tape for Shoulder Subluxation By: Tayler Roost What is shoulder subluxation?  Shoulder subluxation is a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint. This can be classified as traumatic, non-traumatic, or neurological. A traumatic shoulder subluxation can be caused by contact sports or repetitive shoulder movements. A non-traumatic shoulder subluxation can be caused indirectly…

        Read More

        Does mirror therapy work for hand therapy patients with general orthopedic conditions?

        April 24, 2022

        By: Maddie Mott Rostami, R. H., Arefi, A., & Tabatabaei, S. (2013). Effect of mirror therapy on hand function in patients with hand orthopaedic injuries: a randomized controlled trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 35(19). 1647-1651. DOI: 10.3109/09638288.2012.751132 The Skinny: How does mirror therapy work? Mirror therapy (MT) is performed by placing the patient’s injured extremity into…

        Read More

        Article Review: Use of Paper Tape for Scars

        October 17, 2021

        Use of Paper Tape for Scars (What is scar tape?) O’Reilly, S, Crofton, E., Brown, J., Strong, J., & Ziviani, J. (2021).  Use of tape for the  management of hypertrophic scar development: A comprehensive review. Scars, Burns &  Healing, 7, 1–17 DOI: 10.1177/20595131211029206 The Skinny The authors looked to do a review of the current literature…

        Read More

        How Weather Changes Affect Joint Pain

        January 7, 2023

        By: Lucas Godwin How Weather Changes Affect Joint Pain Numerous potential factors can cause weather-related joint pain, including humidity, temperature, precipitation, and changes in barometric pressure. Scientists have performed many studies on joint pain and weather over the years, but so far, none can say for sure what the connection is. Timmermans et al., 2015…

        Read More
        Envelope_1

        Sign-up to Get Updates Straight to Your Inbox!

        Sign up with us and we will send you regular blog posts on everything hand therapy, notices every time we upload new videos and tutorials, along with handout, protocols, and other useful information.