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How can I prevent my wrists from aching?
Nick Herbert: "I'm experiencing a slight aching in the wrists. Is this to do with technique or fatigue? I have been following a 12 week weight loss programme, which has been going well. There is no aching while rowing."
Terry O'Neill: The wrists are involved in feathering the oar when rowing on water but on the rowing machine they should remain flat.
If it is the rowing that is causing the ache, it can only be because they are being stretched. There are some exercises you can do that will strengthen the wrists giving them greater support.
You will need a round piece of wood like a broom handle. In the middle tie a piece of string or cord about one metre long. On the other end of the string, tie a weight of around about five kilograms. Turn the handle so that the string winds itself around, raising the weight off of the floor and then lower, with the palms of the hand pointing down. Another exercise is with a tennis ball held in the hands, the palms facing each other. Now turn the ball clockwise with the left hand and anticlockwise with the right as if you were opening a jar. Then change direction as if you were closing the jar. These are simple exercise that can be done at any time and, along with the rowing, will strengthen your wrists, which should solve the problem. If it persists, consult your doctor.
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