Stop the Pinch: Fixing Wrist Pain During Pushups

Why Floor Presses Wreck Your Wrists

The pushup is a fundamental movement, but it places your wrists into 90 degrees of extreme extension while forcing them to bear a large percentage of your body weight. If you sit at a computer typing all day, your forearms are likely incredibly tight. When you hit the floor for pushups, that lack of flexibility causes severe compression inside the wrist joint, pinching delicate tendons and nerves.

Modifying your hand position is absolutely vital to relieve pressure on the median nerve and prevent repetitive strain injuries from stalling your upper body progress.

3 Ways to Push Pain-Free

Do not push through sharp joint pain. Adapt the movement using these strategies:

1. The Dumbbell Grip: Instead of placing your palms flat on the floor, grip a pair of hex dumbbells. This keeps your wrists perfectly straight and stacked, transferring the weight directly up your forearm bones.
2. Change Your Hand Angle: If you must use flat hands, turn your fingers slightly outward (away from your body) rather than pointing them dead straight. This minor external rotation opens up the joint capsule.
3. Wrap It Up: Just as a powerlifter uses gear to safely overload your bench press, a calisthenics athlete can use wraps for high-volume pushups. A stiff wrist wrap acts like a temporary cast, limiting extreme extension and keeping the joint in a powerful, neutral alignment.

Do not let tiny joints ruin your chest workout. Lock in your form with our Essential Weightlifting Wrist Wraps, available directly at Bolt & Bound.