wrist rehab

[rluser]

I watched with great interest the video of your rehabilitation of your own shoulder.

I have been absent from the gymnasium for about 3 years, but in early February I was forced off my motorcycle by a Mercedes operator on the I15 which parallels the Las Vegas strip. This resulted in a hand plant on the pavement rendering significant sprain to my right wrist.

Presently I am reluctant to lift more than about 12 pounds (this is improving -- it has been three weeks, last week 8 pounds was the limit). What rehab would you suggest to someone who has been subjected to over extension of the wrist and bruising along the ulnar side?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Squats, deadlifts, presses, bench presses, and chins. Don't do any cleans right now.

[Will Morris]

I watched with great interest the video of your rehabilitation of your own shoulder.

I have been absent from the gymnasium for about 3 years, but in early February I was forced off my motorcycle by a Mercedes operator on the I15 which parallels the Las Vegas strip. This resulted in a hand plant on the pavement rendering significant sprain to my right wrist.

Presently I am reluctant to lift more than about 12 pounds (this is improving -- it has been three weeks, last week 8 pounds was the limit). What rehab would you suggest to someone who has been subjected to over extension of the wrist and bruising along the ulnar side?

Have you had an x-ray of your wrist?

[Simon Rest]

since you seem to have scared the OP away can I please jump in on this topic?

middle of last week I also injured my wrist (doing rows of all things!) near the base of the Ulna. There's no swelling, and generally I don't notice pain unless I'm gripping and turning that hand (like turning a steering wheel), but I can't grip a barbell to press or bench press. I can push through the pain and do a few reps of the empty bar overhead, but worry I may be aggravating something that should be left to heal. I can bench and press with a neutral grip, just not the pronated, barbell grip. No X-ray, no MRI.

Should I continue to let the wrist heal until I can restart with the empty bar, and carry on with squatting only? Is there a lighter rehab I should undertake (maybe smaller dumbells?) Do I use a neutral grip bar?

Thanks as always

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is there a position that doesn't hurt under compression/tension?

[Simon Rest]

Is there a position that doesn't hurt under compression/tension?

I played with grip width today and yes, with a wider grip I was able to press without pain. It's less efficient, mechanically, but at least I can press. I'll add weight and narrow the grip slowly as pain allows.

Thanks for the help

[rluser]

Have you had an x-ray of your wrist?

Yes. The radiologist indicates no fractures.

Additionally, since I have noticed Injury Question Suggestion i will add

I am a male approaching 49 years of age, today pain is in the 5-6 range at rest, warming and cooling helps, compressive loads aggravate, and palmar loads are excruciatingly painful in the first three digits and wrist (radius/scaphoid junction).

Today grip strength on that side is about 45lb, but that is too much load for the wrist in a deadlift with dumbells.

Earlier I stated damage along the ulna, but that was a brainfart. The injury is primarily at the distal end of the radius with lesser problems both distally and proximally.

[Will Morris]

Wrists are the one joint that gets imaged no matter what. There are a few conditions that can arise from relatively minor injuries to the wrist that are no bueno (Kienbocks (Avascular Necrosis of the lunate), Preiser's (AVN of the scaphoid). The old saying goes, "Wrist hurt, wrist broke".

[Mark Rippetoe]

today pain is in the 5-6 range at rest,

This never ceases to amaze me. People.

[Will Morris]

This never ceases to amaze me. People.

That would lead us to assume he is having significant personality changes due to the immense amount of pain he is currently having. Conservatively (5 out of 10 pain), he is now so preoccupied with such deep, piercing pain that he has stopped most activities of daily living due to the pain. Less conservatively (6 out of 10 pain), his senses are starting to be dominated by this level of pain. He will have trouble finding or keeping meaningful employment, and most troubling, he is starting to have personality changes that are ruining his relationships.