Strength Training to Prevent Hand & Wrist Sports Injury 

As spring approaches, high school and college athletes are already hitting the baseball field. And are eagerly preparing to hit the fields, courts, greens and tracks. From baseball and softball to tennis and track and field, golf, rowing, and other sports – spring and early summer mark the beginning of an exciting time for athletes of all levels.

However, with the thrill of competition also comes the risk of injuries, especially to the hands and wrists. Whether it’s a sprained wrist from a fall on the baseball diamond or a finger fracture during a tennis match, hand and wrist injuries are common occurrences in spring and summer sports. Fortunately, implementing a structured hand and wrist strength training program can play a crucial role in preventing these injuries, keeping athletes on the field and performing at their best throughout the season.

Of course, strength training can can a positive impact on agility, speed, muscle mass, and of course, strength. But in addition to being a crucial component of sports conditioning, strength training can also help reduce the risk (or even prevent entirely) hand and wrist sports injuries.

In this article, Macomb County hand doctor Dr. Rehman discusses why she recommends strength training to her patients as a way to help prevent hand and wrist sports injuries.

What is Strength Training?

Strength training refers to controlled movement of one’s joints in activities of motion-against-resistance. Activities like these require the muscles to expand energy before moving the bones through forceful contraction.

Anything against which the muscles exert energy can be considered strength training. Strength training can be performed using exercise equipment, or by simply generating resistance using the body’s own weight (as is the case with Yoga).

Strength training obviously increases muscle mass. But hand doctors like Macomb County hand surgeon Dr. Rehman recommends it as a way to avoid injury thanks to its other properties. Through strength training, patients also fortify their body’s ligaments, tendons, and bones, making them less susceptible to injury in the process.

Strength Training for Injury Prevention

Strength training is a key component of injury prevention in sports, particularly when it comes to protecting the hands and wrists from common injuries. In many sports, the hands and wrists are subjected to significant forces and repetitive movements, making them susceptible to injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures, and tendonitis.

By incorporating strength training exercises into their training regimen, athletes can improve the strength, stability, and flexibility of the muscles and ligaments surrounding the hand and wrist, reducing the risk of injury during sports activities. Additionally, strength training can help athletes develop better proprioception and coordination, enhancing their ability to control and stabilize their hands and wrists during dynamic movements and high-impact activities.

Common Sports Injuries of the Hand & Wrist

Some of the most common hand injuries in sports include sprains and strains of the wrist and finger joints, fractures of the hand or wrist bones, and overuse injuries such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. These injuries can result from sudden impacts, falls, repetitive motions, or improper technique, highlighting the importance of preventive measures such as strength training and proper conditioning.

Certified hand therapists play a crucial role in injury prevention by providing specialized physical therapy that targets the muscles and structures of the hand and wrist. Through a combination of exercises, manual therapy techniques, and education on proper biomechanics and injury prevention strategies, hand therapists can help athletes strengthen their hands and wrists, improve joint stability and range of motion, and reduce the risk of sports-related injuries. By working closely with hand therapists, athletes can optimize their performance, stay healthy, and continue to excel in their chosen sport.

Types of Strength Training to Prevent Hand & Wrist Sports Injury

A wide range of equipment can be used to create muscle resistance during machine strength training. This can include hydraulics, resistance bands, rods, or tubing, as well as weight stacks, among others.

Alternatively, free weight strength training may also be performed using weights with motion that has not been fixed by a machine. This kind of strength training can be performed with items like wrist and ankle weights, medicine balls, barbells, and dumbbells.

But Macomb County hand doctor Dr. Rehman reminds patients that strength training can also be performed without the use of any weights at all. Through bodyweight exercises, one’s own weight provides all the resistance required of the exercise. Bodyweight strength training can include Pilates, yoga, jumping rope, push-ups, pull-ups, and plyometrics, to name a few.

How Strength Training Prevents Hand & Wrist Sports Injury

Hand doctors like Dr. Rehman recommend strength training in part because of its ability to “build up” one’s muscles and tendons. In doing so, the body is held in more correct alignment, protecting the joints and bones during movement or when impacted.

The “overload” of weight strength training puts on one’s bones further helps strengthen them and prevent injury. Strength training also results in greater flexibility of the ligaments, improving their ability to absorb and withstand shock, impact, or trauma.

Hand & Wrist Sports Injury Doctor – Macomb County

Strength training isn’t just for professional athletes or body builders. Through strength training, people from all walks of life can better their chances of avoiding injury.

But nonetheless, if you are in the Macomb County area and experience pain in your elbow, arm, fingers, knuckles, or wrists, contact board certified hand surgeon Dr. Rehman today for an evaluation. Like most other injuries, catching such conditions early on is the best way to ensure a swift and complete recovery, free from any complications.

Macomb County Hand & Wrist Sports Injury Doctor: 586.532.0803