(661) 282-8584 contactus@ariptcare.com Fax: (661) 727-0005 Español
Book an Appointment

Patient Questions  /  Wrist pain with push-ups

Shoulder, Elbow & Hand

Why Does My Wrist Hurt When I Do Push-Ups or Push Up From a Chair?

Push-ups, planks and pushing up from a chair bend your wrist far back while it carries your weight. If the wrist is stiff, weak or irritated, that position can hurt, often on the back of the wrist. Changing your hand position and building wrist strength gradually helps most people. Pain after a fall on your hand should be checked.

Request an Evaluation

Why pushing up can hurt

  • Not used to the load. A new workout, yoga class or more push-ups than usual can overload wrists that spend most of the day at a keyboard.
  • Pinching at the back of the wrist. When the wrist bends back fully under weight, tissues on the back of the wrist can get squeezed.
  • Pinky-side pain. Pain on the little-finger side with pushing or twisting can come from a cartilage pad there called the TFCC.
  • A ganglion cyst, a small fluid-filled lump on the back of the wrist.
  • An old injury, like a past sprain or fracture, that never fully regained motion.

What usually helps

  • Change the angle. Do push-ups on your knuckles, on dumbbells or push-up handles, or against a counter, so your wrist bends back less.
  • Spread your fingers and press through your whole hand, not just the heel of your palm.
  • Warm up with gentle wrist circles and rocking before you load them.
  • Build up slowly. Strengthen your forearms and gradually increase how long and how often you bear weight.
  • When getting up from a chair, push through your fists or the chair arms rather than flat palms during a flare.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor promptly if you have:

  • Wrist pain after a fall on an outstretched hand, even if it seems mild, which needs an X-ray to rule out a fracture
  • A wrist that looks out of shape, or swelling and bruising after an injury
  • Numbness or tingling in your fingers
  • A hot, red, swollen wrist, or pain with fever
  • A wrist that clicks and feels weak or gives way

How physical therapy at ARI can help

A physical therapist can check your wrist motion and strength, find which positions bother it, and set up a plan to rebuild weight-bearing gradually so you can get back to workouts, yoga or daily tasks with less pain.

At ARI Physical Therapy in Bakersfield, every visit is one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist, and our clinic director, Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, is a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.

Read our full guide: Hand and wrist pain →

No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

Related questions

Ready to feel better?

Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.

Request an EvaluationCall (661) 282-8584

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms, a licensed clinician should evaluate you.

Clinically reviewed by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist · Reviewed October 2026