Exercises You Can Do With a Wrist Injury

A wrist injury doesn't mean you have to stop exercising entirely. While your wrist heals, you can maintain fitness, prevent deconditioning, and even continue building strength in other areas. Here's your guide to working around a wrist injury.

What to Avoid

Before we discuss what you CAN do, let's clarify what to avoid:

Positions That Stress the Wrist

❌ Weight-bearing on extended wrist (push-ups, planks on hands) ❌ Gripping weights with injured hand ❌ Flexion or extension under load ❌ Rotation (supination/pronation) with resistance ❌ Impact or catching activities

Specific Exercises to Skip

• Push-ups (on hands)
• Planks on hands
• Burpees
• Bench press with injured hand
• Rows requiring grip
• Pull-ups/chin-ups
• Kettlebell swings (injured side)
• Olympic lifts
• Yoga poses with wrist weight-bearing

Cardio Options

Your cardiovascular training doesn't need to stop.

Lower Body Cardio

Stationary Bike

• No wrist involvement
• Great cardio option
• Adjust resistance for intensity
• Include intervals for variety

Walking/Jogging/Running

• Natural arm swing (don't grip anything)
• Treadmill or outdoor
• Progress as fitness allows

Stair Climbing

• Stair machine or real stairs
• Use railing for balance only (don't grip hard)
• Excellent cardio and leg workout

Elliptical (Modified)

• Use leg motion only
• Let arms hang or rest on console
• Don't grip handles

Swimming (If Cleared)

• Kick-only drills
• Wear a pull buoy and kick
• Avoid strokes requiring wrist motion
• Check with provider if splint/cast involved

Rowing Machine (Single Arm)

• Use uninjured arm only
• Strap injured arm to chest or rest on leg
• Reduced resistance

Dance/Aerobics

• Keep injured arm protected
• Modify arm movements
• Focus on footwork
• Low-impact options may be easier

Lower Body Strength Training

Your legs can train normally—this is where you can maintain or even build strength.

Squats and Variations

Goblet Squat (Modified)

• Hold weight to chest with uninjured arm
• Or use single-arm "suitcase" position
• Focus on leg drive

Barbell Back Squat

• Position bar on traps
• Grip with uninjured hand, rest injured arm on bar
• May need safety squat bar or different bar position
• Have spotter if uncertain

Leg Press

• No grip required
• Full range of motion
• Excellent quad and glute work

Smith Machine Squat

• Bar moves in fixed path
• Can push with forearms if needed
• Still challenge legs fully

Single-Leg Work

Lunges (No Weights or Modified)

• Bodyweight lunges
• Hold weight at side with uninjured hand
• Walking, reverse, or stationary

Bulgarian Split Squat

• Hold weight in uninjured hand only
• Contralateral loading is fine
• Excellent single-leg strength

Step-Ups

• Weight in uninjured hand
• Or bodyweight only
• Vary height for challenge

Hip Hinge Movements

Romanian Deadlift (Modified)

• Single-arm with dumbbell in uninjured hand
• Or barbell with mixed grip (injured hand open/hooked)
• Focus on hamstrings and glutes

Hip Thrusts

• Weight on hips
• No wrist involvement
• Great glute builder

Glute Bridges

• Bodyweight or weighted
• Single-leg progressions
• No grip needed

Machines

Leg Extension

• Isolates quadriceps
• No upper body involvement

Leg Curl

• Isolates hamstrings
• Seated or lying

Hip Adductor/Abductor

• Inner and outer thigh
• No grip needed

Calf Raises (Machine)

• Standing or seated
• Shoulders or knees take load

Core Training

Most core exercises can be modified to avoid wrist stress.

No-Wrist Core Exercises

Dead Bugs

• Lie on back, arms straight up
• Lower opposite arm and leg
• Back stays flat
• No wrist stress

Bird Dogs (Fist or Forearm)

• On forearms instead of hands
• Or make fists to keep wrists neutral
• Core stability challenge

Forearm Plank

• On forearms, not hands
• Wrists completely unloaded
• All plank variations possible

Side Plank (Forearm)

• On forearm
• Stack or stagger feet
• Add hip dips for challenge

Leg Raises

• Lie on back or hang from straps
• Lift legs while core stabilizes
• No wrist involvement

Bicycle Crunches

• Hands behind head (don't pull neck)
• Rotation through core
• No wrist stress

Russian Twists (Modified)

• Hold weight with uninjured hand at chest
• Or just hands together
• Rotate through core

Pallof Press (Single Arm)

• Cable or band at chest
• Press out with uninjured arm
• Anti-rotation core work

Ab Wheel Alternative

• Use forearm version
• Or stability ball rollout on forearms

Plank Variations (Forearm Position)

• Standard forearm plank
• Side forearm plank
• Forearm plank with leg lifts
• Forearm plank shoulder taps (tap with uninjured hand)
• Forearm plank hip dips

Upper Body Options

You CAN train your upper body, but it requires creativity.

Injured Side (Limited Options)

Isometrics (If Pain-Free)

• Isometric shoulder contractions
• Keep wrist neutral
• Check with provider

Elbow-Up Movements

• Reverse fly machine (forearm pads)
• Rear delt fly on cable (forearm through strap)
• Some machines allow forearm loading

Uninjured Side (Train Normally)

Training one side has crossover benefits to the other (cross-education effect).

Single-Arm Exercises:

• Dumbbell press (one arm)
• Single-arm rows
• Single-arm shoulder press
• Single-arm cable work
• Bicep curls
• Tricep pushdowns

Research Shows:

• Training one limb produces strength gains in the opposite untrained limb
• Up to 8-10% strength improvement through neural adaptation
• Keeps you in training mode psychologically

Machines That Bypass Wrist

Chest:

• Machine chest press with forearm pads
• Pec dec/fly machine

Back:

• Lat pulldown with forearm straps
• Machine row with chest support
• Reverse fly machine

Shoulders:

• Lateral raise machine
• Shoulder press machine (if forearm pads available)

Strap and Hook Options

Lifting Straps/Hooks:

• Allow pulling movements without grip
• Strap wraps around bar
• Takes stress off wrist
• May allow some bilateral exercises

Forearm Attachments:

• Cable attachments that strap to forearm
• Allow pulling without grip
• Check gym equipment options

Sample Workouts

Workout A: Lower Body Focus

1. Leg press: 4 x 10
2. Romanian deadlift (single-arm): 3 x 10 each leg
3. Walking lunges (bodyweight): 3 x 12 each leg
4. Leg curl: 3 x 12
5. Calf raises: 4 x 15
6. Forearm plank: 3 x 45 seconds

Workout B: Upper Body + Core

1. Single-arm dumbbell press: 4 x 10
2. Single-arm cable row: 4 x 10
3. Single-arm shoulder press: 3 x 10
4. Single-arm tricep pushdown: 3 x 12
5. Single-arm bicep curl: 3 x 12
6. Dead bugs: 3 x 10 each side
7. Side forearm plank: 3 x 30 seconds each side

Workout C: Cardio + Core

1. Stationary bike intervals: 20 minutes
2. Forearm plank: 3 x 60 seconds
3. Bicycle crunches: 3 x 20
4. Bird dogs: 3 x 10 each side
5. Leg raises: 3 x 12
6. Walking: 10-15 minutes cool down

Tips for Success

Protect the Injured Wrist

• Wear brace/splint as directed
• Don't accidentally catch yourself on injured arm
• Be aware during transitions between exercises
• Keep injured arm close to body or protected

Maintain Symmetry Long-Term

• Track single-arm work
• When healed, extra attention to injured side
• Don't let imbalance become permanent

Use the Time Wisely

• Focus on weaknesses (legs, core)
• Work on flexibility
• Address mobility issues
• Build aerobic base

Progressive Loading Still Applies

• Progress uninjured limbs normally
• Don't use injury as excuse to slack
• Maintain training mindset

Returning to Full Training

Gradual Reintroduction

1. Start with bodyweight wrist-bearing (wall push-ups)
2. Progress to hands-and-knees position
3. Add forearm plank to hand plank
4. Light gripping with injured hand
5. Progressive loading over 2-4 weeks

Signs You're Ready

• Pain-free range of motion
• Grip strength returning
• Can bear weight on extended wrist
• Cleared by healthcare provider

Conclusion

A wrist injury is frustrating but doesn't have to derail your fitness. Use this time to crush leg workouts, build core strength, maintain cardio, and train your uninjured side. Many people come back from wrist injuries with better lower body and core development than before.

Stay consistent, protect the injured wrist, and work with your healthcare provider on appropriate rehabilitation exercises for the wrist itself. Before you know it, you'll be back to full training—possibly stronger in areas you previously neglected.

Always follow your healthcare provider's guidance for your specific injury. Some wrist injuries require strict immobilization, while others allow more activity. When in doubt, ask.