Why do my wrists hurt?
Wrists are built for dexterity, not for carrying you. Most wrist pain comes from either sustained low-level positions like typing, or from suddenly asking the joint to bear weight in plank and push-ups. Both are conditioning problems rather than injuries.
Wrist pain, in plain terms
Whether it hurts in daily life or only under load is the question that separates the common, benign versions from the ones worth having looked at.
Pick whichever of these sounds most like yours. The answer is different for each, and the fix follows the cause.
Find your version
Only in plank and downward dog
End-range extension plus bodyweight on an unconditioned joint. Fixable with technique and graded loading.
From typing and mousing all day
Sustained position and unsupported forearms rather than any injury to the wrist.
At the base of the thumb
Very common in new parents and heavy phone users, and it responds well to load management.
Numbness in my fingers at night
Different category — likely nerve. Worth getting assessed rather than stretching.
Whichever version is yours, see a doctor first if
- The pain began after a fall, a crash, or a direct blow
- You have numbness, pins and needles, or weakness anywhere
- The area is hot, red, or swollen, or you have a fever
- The pain is worst at night and doesn’t ease in any position
- You have unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
- Wrist pain after falling onto an outstretched hand — scaphoid fractures are easily missed and heal badly when they are
- Numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers, especially at night
These are uncommon, but they point to problems that movement work won’t touch and that get harder to treat the longer they wait.