Introduction
Strength training is used extensively for increasing performance in all populations across all levels of ability. Free weights are a major component of most strength training programs. The use of free weights predominantly requires the load to be held with the hands for most lifts. Depending on the athlete/client, goal, and programming scheme used, this can place tremendous loads on the wrist.
The importance of the wrist is well known to those who have been strength training for awhile, and it is important for those just getting started on their strength training journey to understand. The wrist is a vital joint complex and plays a pivotal role (pun intended) in strength training as it connects the hand to the rest of the body. Taking care of the wrists is rarely seen as important to most strength-training enthusiasts. But as the wrist goes so goes the training.
Anatomy of the Wrist
The wrist is actually a fairly complex joint. It consists of approximately 10 primary bones, 20 muscles, and about 20 joints. The wrist can move in flexion and extension, laterally side-to-side in both directions (radial and ulnar deviation), as well as in a rotational, or in a circular manner.
Two of the primary bones and joints are actually the bones of the forearm – the radial and ulnar bones. This is where most of the muscles that ‘control’ the wrist attach. The majority of the muscles in the upper arm connect to these two forearm bones as well as to the shoulder and shoulder blade.
Influence of the Wrist on the Body
Beyond the basic anatomy of the wrist lies the wonderful world of soft tissue, or the fascial matrix. Anatomists have now shown that the muscle and fascia running from the hands through the forearms, upper arms, shoulders, pectorals, and lats form one continuous segment of soft tissue. This means that the wrist has a tremendous amount of influence on the joints, tissues, and function of the elbow, shoulder (trapezius, deltoids, rotator cuff), ribs, low back, mid-back, and neck (Myers, 2014).
To support this concept, research has shown some important findings relating the wrist/hand to the shoulder. Some researchers have demonstrated that grip strength (a product of forearm muscles that run through the wrist complex) is correlated to rotator cuff strength (Horsley et al., 2016; Pexa et al., 2020). Other research has shown that fatigue in these muscles can alter coordination strategies in working tasks (Cowley et al., 2017). Both of these scenarios can lead to compensations and potential increase risk of injury. In fact, research has shown that work related tasks that involve bending the wrist repetitively for greater than 2 hours/day was significantly related to elbow pain (Herquelot et al., 2013).
The Use of Wrist Wraps
The use of wrist wraps as a supportive device has been around for over a century with patents going back as early as 1901 (Coutinho, 2022). They are used quite frequently in the strength training disciplines of Powerlifting and Weightlifitng as well as functional fitness related training (i.e. CrossFit, Strong man, etc.). Wrist wraps may provide an added measure of stability to the wrist, which may help take unwanted pressure off the hand and forearms.
Based on the research cited above, the use of wrist wraps may translate into allowing the athlete/enthusiast to focus on the load or task at hand with a potential decrease in risk of injury, especially when high loads are being used. This may further allow for increased performance. Research specific to the influence wrist wraps have on performance is sparse. However, one study has shown that shot putters who wore a heavy wrist wrap had greater throwing distances than those who did not wear wrist wraps (Judge et al., 2015). The use of wrist wraps has also been shown to be a helpful component used in conjunction with exercises for managing musculoskeletal overuse injuries (Sutton et al., 2016).
It’s important to point out that the use of training aids can have powerful advantages both physically and mentally for the athlete/enthusiast. It is generally accepted that they can help increase the amount of weight lifted and potentially reduce the stress on joints, like the wrist with wrist wraps. Thus wrist wraps may be a great aid for many lifters helping with technique and training.
When using wrist wraps, it is suggested that the greatest benefit may be achieved from using them on heavier lifts or lifting days when loads my be increased, and/or during times of training that have higher volumes and more repetitive motion. During lighter sets and/or lifting days, the lifter may consider not using the wraps and may further benefit from strengthening the wrist as well. This will increase the strength of the entire upper extremity (hand, wrist, arm, elbow, and shoulder), which then allow for heavier loads and volumes to be used with wrist wraps.
Conclusion
Wrist wraps can be very advantageous for allowing you to increase the load and volume you train with while helping to reduce the stress to the wrist. Decreasing the risk of injury is a primary factor for improving performance. Using wrist wraps may also help increase your stability and confidence with higher loads, which can help improve your overall technique. Used in conjunction with wrist strengthening, wrist wraps can keep you raising the bar high for years to come.
References
Coutinho, Marilia. (2022). The Wrist wrap as a protective and performance enhancing device in powerlifting.
Cowley, J. C., & Gates, D. H. (2017). Proximal and distal muscle fatigue differentially affect movement coordination. PLOS ONE, 12(2), e0172835. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172835
Herquelot, E., Bodin, J., Roquelaure, Y., Ha, C., Leclerc, A., Goldberg, M., Zins, M., & Descatha, A. (2013). Work-related risk factors for lateral epicondylitis and other cause of elbow pain in the working population. American journal of industrial medicine, 56(4), 400–409. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22140
Horsley, I., Herrington, L., Hoyle, R., Prescott, E., & Bellamy, N. (2016). Do changes in hand grip strength correlate with shoulder rotator cuff function?. Shoulder & Elbow, 8(2), 124–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/1758573215626103
Judge, W. L., Burke, M. J., Patrick, J. T., Guidry, D. T., Hoover, L. D., Wanless, A. E., & Bellar, M. D. (2015). Effects of wrist wraps on throwing distance in highly skilled shot put athletes. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 15(1), 343–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2015.11868797
Myers, T. W. (2014). Anatomy trains : myofascial meridians for manual and movement therapists, 3rd edition. Elsevier.
Pexa, B., Ryan, E. D., Blackburn, J. T., Padua, D. A., Garrison, J. C., & Myers, J. B. (2020). Influence of Baseball Training Load on Clinical Reach Tests and Grip Strength in Collegiate Baseball Players. Journal of athletic training, 55(9), 984–993. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0456.19
Sutton, D., Gross, D. P., Côté, P., Randhawa, K., Yu, H., Wong, J. J., Stern, P., Varatharajan, S., Southerst, D., Shearer, H. M., Stupar, M., Goldgrub, R., van der Velde, G., Nordin, M., Carroll, L. J., & Taylor-Vaisey, A. (2016). Multimodal care for the management of musculoskeletal disorders of the elbow, forearm, wrist and hand: a systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 24, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-016-0089-8