Managing Physical Activity with a Fractured Wrist

Opt for a Leisurely Stroll or Light Jog. Walking or jogging can still be incorporated into your routine even with a broken wrist. Adjust the intensity and duration according to your fitness level while ensuring proper wrist alignment. These activities offer various health benefits such as strengthening muscles, promoting weight management, and enhancing coordination.

Engage in a round of tennis. Tennis is a viable one-handed sport that adds variety to your exercise routine. Keep your fractured wrist supported in a sling with your uninjured hand available for play. In addition to enhancing cardiovascular health, tennis contributes to leg, arm, and shoulder muscle development.

Participate in a soccer match. Soccer entails extensive running and offers enjoyable cardiovascular benefits. Secure your injured wrist in a sling and get moving on the field.

Attend a dance or aerobics session. Dance and aerobics provide similar health advantages as the aforementioned activities but with added flair. Explore various options such as jazzercise, Zumba, or step aerobics. Ensure your wrist is neutrally positioned and avoid movements that strain it.

Embark on a hiking adventure amidst nature. Hiking offers a rigorous workout depending on the chosen trail. Ascend hills cautiously to prevent further injury to the wrist. Uphill trekking enhances cardiovascular health and burns calories while providing relaxation and stress relief.

Build Leg Muscles. Strengthen your leg muscles without involving your broken wrist. Perform squats and lunges while keeping your arms neutral. Squats involve standing with feet apart, squatting down, and then rising back up. Lunges are done by stepping forward and lowering your body.

Strengthen Back Muscles. Engage in bodyweight exercises to strengthen your back muscles. Try bridges and darts. Bridges are performed by lifting your bottom off the floor, while darts involve lifting your upper body and legs simultaneously.

Tone Abdominal Muscles. Work your abs with twists and crunches. Crunches involve raising your upper body off the floor, while twists entail lowering your legs from side to side.

Perform Wrist Flexion and Extension Exercises. These exercises are crucial for wrist recovery. Consult your doctor before starting. Begin slowly and discontinue if you feel any discomfort. Follow the instructions to flex and extend your wrist properly.

Perform Hand Flips. Only attempt this exercise with approval from your doctor or physiotherapist. Complete 8 to 12 repetitions pain-free.

• Sit and place your affected wrist and forearm on your thigh, palm facing down.
• Flip your hand so that your palm faces upward and rests on your thigh.
• Alternate between palm down and palm up.

Engage in Radial and Ulnar Deviation Exercises. Start slowly and aim for 8-12 repetitions if pain-free. Hold each position for six seconds.

• Hold your hand with the broken wrist in front of you, palm down.
• Bend your wrist from side to side as far as possible.
• Hold each position for six seconds.

Perform Wrist Extensor Stretches. Repeat this stretch 2-4 times when pain-free. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

• Extend your arm with the broken wrist.
• Point your fingers toward the ground.
• Use your other hand to gently bend your wrist until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in the forearm.

Execute Wrist Flexor Stretches. Approach this stretch cautiously, avoiding pain. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

• Extend your arm with the broken wrist in front of you, palm facing away.
• Bend your wrist back, pointing your fingers toward the ceiling.
• Use your other hand to gently bend the wrist toward you or press against a wall.

Perform Intrinsic Flexion. Restore grip strength with this exercise.

• Rest your broken wrist on a table, one side against the surface, with fingers straight.
• Bend your fingers toward you from the joint connecting fingers to palm, maintaining a 90-degree angle.
• Return to the starting position and repeat.

Engage in MP Extension Exercise. This exercise aims to restore grip strength and should ideally be performed 8 to 12 times per session.

• Place your good hand palm up on a table.
• Wrap the fingers of your injured hand around the thumb of your good hand.
• Slowly uncurl the joints of your injured hand.
• Bend only the top two joints of your fingers so they resemble a hook.
• Return to the starting position and repeat.

Perform Finger and Thumb Exercises. For maximum benefit, these exercises should be done quickly.

• Using the thumb of your injured hand, touch the tip of each finger as quickly as possible.
• With your injured hand palm up, bend your thumb toward the base of your little finger, then stretch it out as far as possible to the side.

Obtain a large triangular bandage to create a sling. When exercising with a broken wrist, using a sling is recommended to keep the wrist in a neutral position. The sling provides protection and prevents excessive movement that could exacerbate the injury.

Place the triangular bandage under the injured arm. Ensure the tip of the bandage extends further than your elbow.

Gently pull the end of the bandage. Pull it towards the opposite shoulder of the affected arm and loop it around your neck.

Draw up the opposite side. Take the hanging part and draw it over the injured arm, ensuring the ends meet behind your neck.

Seek assistance to tie a knot. This step may be challenging to perform alone.

• Instruct your helper to tie the ends into a knot above your collarbone.

Fine-tune the positioning of the sling. Have your assistant adjust it to support your arm all the way to your little finger.

• Secure the sling around your elbow by twisting the tip with a safety pin or tucking it in.

• Consult your doctor before starting any exercises. Moisture can accumulate inside your cast, leading to itching and potential mildew or mold growth. Additionally, excessive sweating can affect the integrity of the plaster cast.
• Avoid using exercise machines that require both hands, even if you believe you can manage with one hand. Doing so could result in further injury.
• Discuss your exercise plans with your doctor beforehand. Ensure she is informed about your intentions and seek her advice on what activities are suitable and what should be avoided.

• Avoid exerting pressure on your wrist without clearance from a medical professional.