Getting back in shape - Broke wirst, push ups uncomfortable/painful. What do?

[Alcsaar]

Back in July (on the 4th actually) I broke my right wrist (Scaphoid bone fracture). Its obviously healed since then, but I only recently started a work out routine once again, and doing push ups is causing discomfort, nearly to the point of pain (Due to the angle I have to have my wrist in). I'm not sure if this is simply a side effect of the wrist not having been used for such strainous activity, and a lack of mobility, and I need to strengthen it back up by doing as many as I can, or if its potentially something else.

To me, it seems like its a simple case of not having been using it enough, and I'll just need to be careful not to push myself too far until I regain some strength and mobility from exercise.

[Serpha]

You can do push ups on your knuckles, or normal push ups at and angle. Back in the army we actualy had to do them on knuckles.

[Aggrophobic]

If it really hurts, don't do it. Find something else to do for a while.
Best thing you can do is to talk to a physical therapist about it, although that might cost a bit, depending on where you live.

[Alcsaar]

You can do push ups on your knuckles, or normal push ups at and angle. Back in the army we actualy had to do them on knuckles.

Huh, I'll give it a shot on my knuckles next time, tho I suspect the weight of my body is going to cause some discomfort regardless.

[Jessicka]

Did this a couple of years ago now. With the lack of movement from using braces and stuff, I ended up with tendonitis which took a long time to shake off, my Physio suggested stress balls, which were pretty helpful (I still keep them knocking around as it can still seize a bit if it's cold or I'm fatigued); also gave me this elastic strap to act as resistance for normal sorts of movement exercises, I think that was less good. The best thing though was acupuncture.

[Extrakt]

I broke my right wrist at the start of the new year.( 5th of january ) and it is almost completely healed already.
There are some exercises that don't feel compeletely right but with some I have new records already.

I hope the discomfort is because you are not used the exercise. If not, I would advise some a doctor visit as it's been a long time since it broke.

[Verzen]

Back in July (on the 4th actually) I broke my right wrist (Scaphoid bone fracture). Its obviously healed since then, but I only recently started a work out routine once again, and doing push ups is causing discomfort, nearly to the point of pain (Due to the angle I have to have my wrist in). I'm not sure if this is simply a side effect of the wrist not having been used for such strainous activity, and a lack of mobility, and I need to strengthen it back up by doing as many as I can, or if its potentially something else.

To me, it seems like its a simple case of not having been using it enough, and I'll just need to be careful not to push myself too far until I regain some strength and mobility from exercise.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitnes.../dp/B008DNAJ5M

You're welcome.

- - - Updated - - -

Did this a couple of years ago now. With the lack of movement from using braces and stuff, I ended up with tendonitis which took a long time to shake off, my Physio suggested stress balls, which were pretty helpful (I still keep them knocking around as it can still seize a bit if it's cold or I'm fatigued); also gave me this elastic strap to act as resistance for normal sorts of movement exercises, I think that was less good. The best thing though was acupuncture.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no effect, aside from placebo, that acupuncture provides. There have been studies where acupuncture was placed against a control where a guy, completely untrained, placed needles randomly and got the same results.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org...e-doesnt-work/

[Jessicka]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no effect, aside from placebo, that acupuncture provides. There have been studies where acupuncture was placed against a control where a guy, completely untrained, placed needles randomly and got the same results.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org...e-doesnt-work/

Science is my job, I was probably as skeptical, if not moreso than you are. Aside from 'placing them randomly' sounding extremely dangerous in terms of hitting internal structures, I'm not entirely convinced about any specific mystical points either.

Having said that, after 6 months of not being able to use my hand properly using typical physiotheraputic exercises, my Physio suggested I try it, and it helped a lot more than what we had been doing, and after 8-10 sessions the pain had gone completely. Sure, anecdote is anecdote (Physio said the same, it works for some people... blah blah), and maybe it'd have healed naturally in that time on it's own... etc. etc. But this was after 6 months of zero improvement, the session would resolve things for a couple of weeks before it crept back and I'd have another; and over time the sessions and creep back spread further apart until it stopped creeping back.

Ultimately, it's not going to do any harm not to try it, unless you live in a country you'd have to pay for it I guess you might consider that harmful to your bank account. And I'm not recommending it for treating Cancer or AIDS or anything serious, just a bit of chronic life-imparing tendonitis which isn't about to kill you. In many ways I still feel weird about it, but it worked so I throw it out there.

I'm not going to sit behind a desk and throw papers at people telling them their treatment didn't work, when they know for themselves it did.

[snaek]

You can do push ups on your knuckles, or normal push ups at and angle. Back in the army we actualy had to do them on knuckles.

This is what I do, having suffered small fractures that make regular pushups hurt quite a bit, and I'll second Serpha's recommendation if normal pushups hurt in a way they shouldn't.

[Ghâzh]

This is what I do, having suffered small fractures that make regular pushups hurt quite a bit, and I'll second Serpha's recommendation if normal pushups hurt in a way they shouldn't.

Plus you get more exercise since you can lower yourself a few inches more.

[Verzen]

Science is my job, I was probably as skeptical, if not moreso than you are. Aside from 'placing them randomly' sounding extremely dangerous in terms of hitting internal structures, I'm not entirely convinced about any specific mystical points either.

Having said that, after 6 months of not being able to use my hand properly using typical physiotheraputic exercises, my Physio suggested I try it, and it helped a lot more than what we had been doing, and after 8-10 sessions the pain had gone completely. Sure, anecdote is anecdote (Physio said the same, it works for some people... blah blah), and maybe it'd have healed naturally in that time on it's own... etc. etc. But this was after 6 months of zero improvement, the session would resolve things for a couple of weeks before it crept back and I'd have another; and over time the sessions and creep back spread further apart until it stopped creeping back.

Ultimately, it's not going to do any harm not to try it, unless you live in a country you'd have to pay for it I guess you might consider that harmful to your bank account. And I'm not recommending it for treating Cancer or AIDS or anything serious, just a bit of chronic life-imparing tendonitis which isn't about to kill you. In many ways I still feel weird about it, but it worked so I throw it out there.

I'm not going to sit behind a desk and throw papers at people telling them their treatment didn't work, when they know for themselves it did.

Anecdotes are above all the least reliable forms of evidence, especially when undergoing other attempts at treatment and there's also the variable of time. Things heal over time.

[Jessicka]

Anecdotes are above all the least reliable forms of evidence, especially when undergoing other attempts at treatment and there's also the variable of time. Things heal over time.

Yeah, of course it was all a massive series of coincidences.

[Jotaux]

I would probably avoid the push ups for now and look into stretches and exercises you can do to improve your wrist's mobility.

[Random010203]

I would probably avoid the push ups for now and look into stretches and exercises you can do to improve your wrist's mobility.

This is the correct response. Why would you purposely aggravate a preexisting injury by doing MORE push-ups? Do exercises that don't put pressure on the wrist.

[khazmodan]

i would recommend bench presses with dumbbells that are light enough to avoid wrist pain since they give your wrists the ability to move through a natural range of motion. pushups are really good for reminding you of your overall fitness but getting more injured does not help your fitness at all.

[ratei]

Make sure your form is good to avoid injuries