Don’t Let Sore Wrists Stop You Moving.

Have you ever had something start feeling sore and thought, “Well, I guess I can't exercise now”?

Maybe it's your wrist, shoulder, knee or back.

One of the things I love most about coaching is helping my clients realise that feeling some discomfort doesn't always mean you have to stop moving altogether.

Very often, there's another option.

You Don't Have to Stop Exercising

When something hurts, our first instinct can be to avoid anything that uses that area.

And sometimes, taking a break or getting something properly assessed is absolutely the right thing to do.

But there are also plenty of situations where you can modify an exercise rather than completely stop exercising.

For example, if your wrists are sore during a particular movement, we might change:

• The position of your hands

• Your grip

• The amount of weight you're using

• Your range of movement

• The number of repetitions

• The exercise itself

• 
  

Sometimes it's a tiny adjustment that makes all the difference.

Other times, we might swap the exercise for something completely different that trains the same muscles without aggravating the sore area.

Why Exercise Modification Matters

One of the biggest mistakes I see is thinking that if you can't do an exercise exactly as it's written, you can't do the workout.

That's simply not true.

There are so many ways to train your body.

If a push up hurts your wrists, for example, that doesn't mean you have to give up on strengthening your chest, shoulders and arms. We can find another variation that feels more comfortable.

If holding a dumbbell aggravates your wrist, we can look at a different grip or choose another exercise.

The goal isn't to force your body through something that doesn't feel right.

The goal is to find a way to keep building strength while respecting what your body is telling you.

Listen to Your Body

There's an important difference between working your muscles and pushing through pain.

You might feel your muscles working, fatigue during a set or experience some general discomfort as you challenge yourself.

But sharp, worsening or unfamiliar pain is something you shouldn't simply ignore.

Your body is giving you feedback, and learning to listen to that feedback is an important part of exercising safely.

Sometimes that means modifying the movement.

Sometimes it means stopping.

And sometimes it means getting some professional guidance to work out what's actually going on.

Movement Doesn't Have to Be All or Nothing

This is something I really want my clients to remember:

You don't have to be perfect to keep moving.

Your body isn't going to feel exactly the same every day.

You might be tired. You might have a niggle. You might be recovering from an injury. You might be pregnant or postpartum. You might simply need to take things a little easier.

That doesn't mean your only options are “push through” or “do nothing.”

There's a whole middle ground.

That's where good coaching comes in.

At FYB, We Work With Your Body, Not Against It!

This is exactly how I coach my clients at Feel Your Best Fitness.

I don't want you to feel like you have to push through pain just to complete a workout.

Instead, we'll look at how we can adapt the exercise to suit you.

Because your workout should work for your body, not against it.

So if a sore wrist, knee, shoulder or back has been stopping you from exercising, don't automatically assume you need to give up.

There may be another way.

And sometimes, finding that option is all you need to keep moving, keep getting stronger and keep doing the things you love. 💪

If you're not sure how to modify your workouts around an injury or niggle, come and chat to us at FYB. We'd love to help you find a way to keep moving safely and confidently.