Wrist Hurt During Push-Ups? Here's What Your Body Is Try to Tell You

When you think of what's required to crank out a strong set of push-ups, you'll probably first think of the muscles involved — most notably the triceps, pectorals, deltoids and abs. And while you need upper-body endurance and core stability, you also need strong wrists.

Not only do they help support your body weight, but your hand (and therefore wrist) placement can impact which muscle groups are working the hardest. A September 2014 study in the ​Journal of Sports Science & Medicine​ reported that the standard push-up increases activation of the chest and shoulders. Another study from February 2016 in the ​Journal of Physical Therapy Science​, found that when the hands are halfway in from their regular position, there's greater activity in the chest and triceps.

But if your wrists hurt during push-ups, your body could be trying to tell you something. "Our wrists are taking a hit with technology from how we place our hands on a keyboard to how we scroll on our phones all day," says Jen Brodman, Tier 3 Trainer at Equinox. "If wrist discomfort is present before exercise or in the middle of a push-up, you're definitely not alone."

Here, experts weigh in on what your body might be trying to tell you if you experience wrist pain during push-ups.

Whether you're brand new to push-ups or a seasoned athlete, it's easy to misplace your hands in the movement from time to time. Placing your hands too wide or out in front places the wrist in a compromised position leading to pain and possible injury.

The push-up originates as a plank, which means maintaining a straight body line is extremely important. And that also means that in a proper high plank, your hips will be parallel to the ground, in line with your shoulders.

If you pike them too high or sink down toward the ground, that can create an uneven distribution of body weight which can increase the pressure on shoulders and wrists, Brodman says.

Brathwaite says that he often sees beginners flaring their elbows out to the side too much, which can place unnecessary strain on wrists and shoulders.

Without proper core engagement, your shoulders and wrists can be taking on excess strain.

"Sometimes with a push-up, we simply haven't built the strength to or don't know how to create tension to execute one with proper form yet. Which is where our bodies can sag, shift, etc., to a point where are wrists take the brunt of it," Brodman says.

While the above mistakes could be the reason why you experience wrist pain, it's important to note that there could be another reason you're experiencing discomfort when doing the popular exercise.

If you've previously had an acute wrist injury (a strain or sprain, perhaps) or pain not due to push-ups (carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause), the stress of standard push-ups may be too much on a weakened joint.

Even if your wrists have been healthy, the push-up position puts a lot of stress on the ligaments of the wrists, says Nicholas Maroldi, DPT, director of the Hand Therapy Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Combine that stress with any mobility dysfunction (or too much mobility) and that can cause pain in the wrist joints and surrounding soft tissue.

"Over time, this can lead to cyst formation, instability and joint damage," he adds, saying that this is where the above modifications come into play. If you experience wrist pain during push-ups, Maroldi also recommends taking a break from weight-bearing activities until you can do them without pain.