Wrists and hands · Seated or Standing
Wrist flexor stretch (palm up)
A stretch for the inside of the forearm, the side that bends the wrist and fingers when you type and grip a mouse.
- Hold 15 to 30 s each side
- Held stretch
How to do it
- Hold your right arm out in front of you, elbow straight, palm facing up.
- Let the hand bend down at the wrist so the fingers point to the floor.
- With your left hand, gently draw the fingers back toward you.
- Hold, release, and repeat with the left hand.
How long
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds on each side (Mayo Clinic). Some ergonomics guides use shorter 5-second holds repeated three times.
What you should feel
A mild stretch along the inside of the forearm, from the palm toward the elbow.
Stop if…
- Pain, numbness, tingling or pins and needles, or dizziness: stop and do not push through it.
- Tingling or numbness in the fingers, which is a reason to stop and not to hold longer.
Variations
- Elbow bent. Keep the elbow slightly bent for a gentler stretch.
- On the desk. Stand, place the palm flat on the desk with the fingers pointing toward you, and lean back gently.
Common mistakes
- Yanking the fingers back.
- Locking the elbow hard.
- Lifting the shoulder.
Use it in a routine
The stretch routine builder can play this with other wrists and hands stretches, with a countdown for each side and a chime at every change. The stretch break timer adds stretches like it to a break after each work interval.
It is part of these ready-made routines: Two-minute reset and Wrists and hands for typing, 3 minutes.
Sources
Written from published guidance by health services, physiotherapy and ergonomics bodies. Last reviewed .
- Don't just sit there: exercises for the office, Mayo Clinic Health System
- Stretching at the workstation (PDF), New Mexico State University Environmental Health and Safety
- Standing stretches for the workplace (video), Mayo Clinic (general stretching guidance)
- Desk-based exercises, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (UK) (general stretching guidance)