There are many reasons why you may want to know the purpose of wrist wraps. In my experience, the most common reason is to support injured or weak wrists. These wraps offer tremendous therapeutic benefits to your wrists and forearms by helping to increase flexibility, strengthen tendons, and improve muscle tone. In this article, I will outline some of the most common uses for wrist wraps, how they work, and some things to keep in mind when using them.
The purpose of wrist wraps is to stabilize your wrists during and after physical activities. Wrist exercises have been shown to increase strength and flexibility, especially when done prior to exercise. Wrist exercises help you get up from a seated, standing, or lying position. They are also used during athletic training, such as track, field, or baseball. Better post-exercise support helps prevent injury and will encourage increased performance.
Wrist exercises are not designed to be a replacement for heavy-duty lifting. Use wrist wraps for warm-up/recovery exercises and for simple exercises that build strength. You can also use them when heavy-duty lifting is not necessary. Some people may find that wrist exercises cause their forearms to sore, but I find that it is not very uncomfortable.
Wrist exercises strengthen the muscles around your forearm, but can also work your thumb. The wrap fits over the forefinger and is tightened at the base of the thumb. To do exercises, place the wrist band over your thumb and pull outward until the band feels snug. The fabric of the band should fit comfortably around your thumb. Hold the wrist in this tight position for five seconds and repeat five times.
A common goal among weightlifters is to develop a good wrist wrap to build strong wrists. This is done by practicing curls that target the forearms. Curls that occur in the front rack or overhand angles are done by tightening the wrists in preparation of an overhead position that requires that arm to pull the weight overhead.
There are many people who suffer from arthritis and other painful conditions that limit their activities. If you have been prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), you may be concerned about possible side effects. The purpose of wrist wraps is to help get rid of pain associated with NSAIDs. The cotton swab technology used in wrist wraps also allows you to take your medication while still performing your other activities. These types of wraps were originally created to help people with arthritis. It is a cost-effective alternative to expensive prescription medication.
