Invisible Exercise 8: Wrist Circles¶

Purpose: Prevent carpal tunnel, maintain wrist mobility, reduce forearm tension, prevent RSI (repetitive strain injury)

Duration: Full sequence approximately 90 seconds

The Biomechanics¶

The wrist joint is complex—multiple small bones (carpals) that must glide smoothly for proper function. Meanwhile, forearm muscles control wrist and finger movement via long tendons.

What repetitive work does:

Action	Effect
Constant gripping (tools, steering wheel)	Forearm muscle tension
Repetitive motion	Tendon adhesions
Limited positions	Restricted carpal bone movement
Vibration (power tools)	Soft tissue damage

The result: Carpal tunnel symptoms, tendinitis, arthritis, grip weakness.

Wrist circles mobilize all wrist ranges (flexion, extension, radial/ulnar deviation) and forearm rotation (pronation/supination), distributing synovial fluid and preventing adhesions.

Why This Matters for Contractors¶

Your hands are your livelihood:

Constant gripping: hammers, drills, saws, wrenches, steering wheel
Repetitive impact (hammering) creates forearm inflammation
Awkward wrist positions (overhead drilling, tight spaces)
Vibration from power tools damages soft tissue

Hand/wrist problems = inability to work. Carpal tunnel surgery means 6-12 weeks recovery with potential permanent limitations.

Prevention is infinitely better than surgery.

How to Do It¶

Part A: Wrist Circles (10 each direction, each wrist)¶

Extend right arm forward, elbow straight but not locked
Hand at chest height
Make a loose fist or keep hand relaxed
Rotate wrist in largest circle possible
Move through: flexion (down) → radial deviation (thumb side) → extension (up) → ulnar deviation (pinky side)
Think: "Drawing a circle in the air with your knuckles"
10 circles clockwise
10 circles counterclockwise
Switch to left wrist, repeat

Part B: Forearm Rotations (10 each arm)¶

Extend right arm forward, elbow at 90 degrees
Start with palm facing down (pronation)
Rotate forearm so palm faces up (supination)
Then rotate back to palm down
Full range of rotation, smooth movement
10 full rotations (down-up-down = 1 rep)
Switch arms

Part C: Finger Flexion/Extension (10 reps)¶

Extend arms forward
Spread fingers wide apart (extension)
Make tight fist (flexion)
Open-close-open = 1 rep
10 reps
Addresses finger flexor/extensor balance

Combined sequence: All three parts take approximately 90 seconds total.

Form Critical Points¶

Maximum range: Go to end ranges in all directions without pain
Smooth, controlled: No jerking or forcing
Both directions matter: Each direction mobilizes different structures
Keep breathing: Don't hold breath
No pain: Stop before sharp pain (4-6/10 stretch okay, 7+ stop)
Relaxed shoulders: Don't tense upper body
Full ROM: Tiny circles don't achieve much—go big

What It Should Feel Like¶

Gentle pulling in different positions
Clicking/popping (very common, usually benign if painless)
Warming sensation as joint mobilizes
Release of tension in forearms
Some "sticky spots" (areas of restriction—improves with practice)
Increased mobility immediately after

Should NOT feel:

Sharp pain
Numbness or tingling
Grinding sensation
Hot/inflamed feeling

Variations¶

Prayer Position Stretch (Complement)¶

Press palms together in front of chest
Lower hands toward waist, keeping palms together
Stretches wrist flexors
Hold 30 seconds

Reverse Prayer (Complement)¶

Place backs of hands together behind back
Slide hands up spine
Stretches wrist extensors
Hold 30 seconds

Tennis Ball Squeeze (Strengthening)¶

Squeeze tennis ball firmly
Hold 5 seconds, release
10-15 reps
Builds grip strength
Balance mobility work with strength

When to Do It¶

Wrist circles look like normal stretching—completely normal office and job site behavior.

Critical timing for contractors:

After extended tool use (especially power tools with vibration)
Every 30-45 minutes during repetitive hand work
After driving (steering wheel grip creates tension)
Before detail work requiring dexterity
Morning and evening for maintenance

This is your primary carpal tunnel prevention. Do it obsessively.

Troubleshooting¶

Painful clicking or grinding

If painless clicking: Usually benign, continue exercise
If painful: Reduce range significantly, avoid painful positions
Constant painful grinding: See healthcare provider
Note: Degenerative changes may limit safe range

Numbness or tingling during/after

Cause: Possible nerve compression (carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve)
Action: Stop immediately
Check: Is numbness in specific pattern? (thumb/index/middle = median nerve)
Medical: See provider—may need nerve conduction studies
Alternative: Focus on gentle forearm massage instead

Wrists so stiff circles are tiny

Cause: Chronic immobility, possible arthritis, previous injury
Reality: This indicates you really need this exercise
Solution: Start with smallest circles possible, no pain
Progress: Gradually increase size over weeks/months
Patience: Wrist mobility can take 2-3 months to improve significantly

Forearm muscles cramp during rotations

Cause: Severe tightness in flexors/extensors
Solution: Slow down, reduce range initially
Hydration: Ensure adequate water and electrolytes
Frequency: Do more often but gentler
Massage: Self-massage forearms before and after

One wrist much more restricted

Reality: Very common, especially dominant hand
Solution: Spend extra time on restricted side
Check: Previous injury on restricted side?
Note: Non-dominant hand often has better mobility

Hands/fingers numb at night

Reality: Wrist circles help prevent but may not cure established carpal tunnel
Continue: Keep doing circles—prevents worsening
Night splints: May need wrist braces at night
Medical: If severe or worsening, see provider

Bram's Experience¶

Week 1: Wrists were embarrassingly stiff. Circles were tiny and jerky. Right wrist (dominant) worse than left. Constant clicking in both wrists. Forearms felt like concrete. "Twenty years of swinging hammers and my wrists move like rusty hinges."

After even the first session: immediate sensation of relief in forearms. Not dramatic, but noticeable loosening.

Week 2: Circles getting smoother and slightly larger. Started doing these religiously after any power tool use. Noticed: when he skipped them, hands felt tight and achy by evening. When he did them every hour, hands stayed loose.

Week 4: Significant improvement. Circles now much larger and smoother. Clicking reduced by about 50%. Could feel distinct difference between morning wrists (stiff) and post-circle wrists (mobile). Started doing them first thing in morning before work.

Week 8: Natural, fluid movement. Full range circles, no pain. The forearm tension that had been constant for years was essentially gone. Grip strength actually improved (not fighting constant tension).

Month 3: Wrist circles were automatic habit—did them constantly throughout day without thinking. Total game-changer for hand comfort. Could work all day with power tools without end-of-day hand cramping he'd normalized.

Month 6: Complete transformation. Wrists felt 20 years younger. The numbness in hands at night (early carpal tunnel symptoms he'd been ignoring) was gone. Full pain-free range of motion. Clicking essentially eliminated.

Real-World Impact¶

"I was headed for carpal tunnel surgery. Numbness in hands at night, couldn't grip steering wheel for long without pain, dropping tools because grip would fail. Six months of daily wrist circles and all those symptoms are gone. Gone. Avoided surgery with 60 seconds a day of movement."

Specific improvements:

Power tool use: "Drills, impact drivers, sanders—all create forearm tension. Before circles, I'd be fighting cramping by mid-afternoon. Now I do circles after each tool session and maintain loose forearms all day."
Hammering: "Used to get hand cramping after extended hammering. Circles before and after eliminated this completely."
Detail work: "Fine motor tasks require mobile wrists. My accuracy improved because my wrists could actually move properly."
Driving: "Two-hour drives were torture—hands locked around steering wheel. Now I do wrist circles at every stop. Hands stay comfortable."
Sleep: "The night numbness was terrifying—thought I'd need surgery. Wrist circles (plus night splints for 2 weeks) fixed it completely. I wake up with normal hands now."

The Invisible Factor¶

Arms casually extended, appearing to stretch or relieve tension. Completely normal break behavior. Might look like examining hands, checking for cuts, or just casual fidgeting.

Can do while:

Standing and talking with crew
Waiting for materials
On phone calls
Watching a demonstration
Any standing break

So invisible that Bram often did it mid-conversation without the other person noticing.

Integration¶

Wrist Circles are the eighth and final Invisible 8 exercise because:

Address the highest-risk area for permanent disability
Complete the full-body coverage of the protocol
Critical for anyone using tools
Easy to do constantly throughout day

Recommendation: Every 30-45 minutes during hand-intensive work. After every power tool session. This is your carpal tunnel insurance policy.

The Complete Invisible 8¶

You've now learned all eight exercises:

#	Exercise	Primary Target	Duration
1	Stomach Vacuum	Core stability	60 sec
2	Calf Raises	Lower leg circulation	60-90 sec
3	Scapular Wall Slides	Shoulder mobility	60 sec
4	Glute Squeezes	Hip stability	60 sec
5	Neck Retractions	Neck posture	60 sec
6	Shoulder Blade Squeezes	Mid-back strength	60 sec
7	Hip Circles	Hip mobility	90 sec
8	Wrist Circles	Wrist/forearm health	90 sec

Total time for all 8: 7-8 minutes

But you don't do all 8 at once. You rotate through them during the day, one exercise per break, 60-90 seconds at a time.

Next: Office Worker Adaptations →

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