Pain guide · Wrist and hand pain

Wrist pain when doing bicep curls: the thumb side, the little-finger side, grip, bars and what helps

Wrist pain when you do bicep curls usually comes from the load or the grip holding your wrist at the end of its range on one side, and where it hurts is the best clue. Pain on the thumb side at the base of the thumb, worse with hammer curls, often points to de Quervain's tenosynovitis; pain on the little-finger side, worse turning the forearm or gripping hard palm down, to the cartilage cushion there (the triangular fibrocartilage complex, or TFCC) or the tendon beside it; and tingling in the fingers to a nerve. A straight bar holds your forearms fully palm up for every rep; an EZ bar or dumbbells let them turn in a little, and in a lab study the choice between bars was a matter of comfort. No study has measured the wrist during curls, so this guide says where its advice comes from.

This guide starts with the signs that need help, from accident and emergency (A&E) for a wrist that is out of shape, numb or cold after an injury, to a same-day check after a fall onto your hand with pain at the base of the thumb, for a hot, swollen wrist with a high temperature, or for a pop at the front of the elbow while lowering a curl. It then maps the causes by where it hurts, explains what the studies of grips and bars do and don't show, shows how to change your curl today, and gives a three-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move, from still holds back to your usual curls.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 56 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E after an injury (don't drive yourself) if the arm, wrist or hand is numb, tingling or has pins and needles; a bone is sticking out or a bad cut is bleeding heavily; or the wrist, thumb or a finger has changed shape, is at an odd angle, or has turned blue, grey, white or cold.
Same day (NHS 111): severe wrist pain; you feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain, or you feel unwell, hot, cold or shivery; you heard a snap, grinding or popping noise when you hurt it; you can't move your wrist or hold things; your wrist has changed shape or colour; a lump on your wrist is very painful, hot or red (redness may be harder to see on brown and black skin); or you have lost the feeling in part or all of your hand. These might be signs of a broken wrist or an infection.
Same day: after a fall onto an outstretched hand, pain or tenderness at the base of the thumb on the back of the wrist (the hollow called the snuffbox), even if the wrist moves well or the first X-ray was normal. A broken scaphoid can hide on the first X-ray and is slow to heal if it's missed, so ask what follow-up is planned.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): sudden, severe pain in one joint, with swelling, a change in skin colour or difficulty moving it, especially if you feel unwell, hot, cold or shivery or have a high temperature (although not everyone has one). It could be an infection in the joint, gout or calcium crystals (pseudogout), and only a sample of fluid from the joint can tell them apart.
Urgent treatment centre or A&E: a pop or snap and sudden pain during an effort, which could be a torn tendon. At the front of the elbow, with bruising and a bulge in the upper arm, don't wait for it to settle: a torn biceps tendon is best repaired within the first 2 to 3 weeks. If it happened weeks ago, still get it checked: repair is often still possible, though it may need a tendon graft.
Same day (NHS 111): after an injury, the forearm locks so you can't turn the palm up or down, or the end of the forearm bone on the little-finger side clunks or sticks up at the back of the wrist. The joint between the forearm bones may have come out of place.
Call 999 or go to A&E: sudden, severe pain in a muscle of the forearm or hand, which may be worse when you stretch it, with swelling, numbness, weakness or pins and needles, or tightness or difficulty moving the fingers. This can be acute compartment syndrome, which needs surgery as soon as possible. It usually follows an injury, a crush, or a cast or bandage that is too tight. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
Same day (call NHS 111, or go to A&E if you feel very unwell): after a big or unusual session, such as hundreds of pull-ups or curls, a challenge or a new class, muscle pain, swelling or weakness far worse than the session explains, and dark pee (red, brown, tea or cola coloured), sometimes starting hours or days later. Dark pee isn't always there, so muscles far sorer, more swollen or weaker than the session explains still need the same-day check. It can be rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle that can harm the kidneys.
Contact your GP practice urgently (or NHS 111 if it's closed): clumsiness in your hands, or numbness, pins and needles or weakness in one or both arms that is getting worse.
Same day: both hands numb or clumsy (dropping things, trouble with buttons or handwriting), especially with unsteady walking or falls. Pressure on the spinal cord in the neck can do this, and it is often first mistaken for carpal tunnel syndrome.
You're taking a fluoroquinolone antibiotic and a tendon starts to hurt or swell: stop taking it, contact your doctor straight away, and rest the painful area until you've been seen.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it at home, getting worse, keeps coming back, or stopping you doing normal activities. In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy.
Any tingling or loss of feeling in the hand or wrist, especially in the ring and little fingers.
Constant numbness in the ring and little fingers, a weak or clumsy hand, or visible wasting of the muscle between the thumb and index finger. Ask about referral: one NHS referral guide treats permanent numbness or wasting as urgent.
Carpal tunnel symptoms that are getting worse, not going away, or not helped by treatment at home; sooner if the thumb is weak or the muscle at the base of the thumb looks thinner.
You have diabetes and a hand problem: the NHS says hand problems can be more serious if you have diabetes.
The wrist feels unstable or weak, or clicks with pain: see a GP or physiotherapist. It may need a hand specialist to check it.
A painful snap or clunk over the little-finger side of the back of the wrist when you turn your palm up, especially if the wrist then feels weak or the snapping started with a sudden twist under load: see a GP or physiotherapist, who may ask a hand specialist to check the tendon there (extensor carpi ulnaris). Painless movement of that tendon is common and usually needs nothing (our suggestion).
A deep ache in the middle of the back of the wrist that keeps coming back when you load it, often with a weaker grip, even if an X-ray was normal: see a GP or physiotherapist and ask whether a scan is needed. A hidden ganglion or, rarely, Kienböck's disease (loss of blood supply to a wrist bone) can be missed on early X-rays.
A lump that gets bigger, is hard or doesn't move.
Swollen, stiff joints in several fingers or both hands, with morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asks GPs to refer suspected rheumatoid arthritis urgently when the small joints of the hands or feet, or more than one joint, are affected, even if blood tests are normal.
Treated for de Quervain's for weeks without improvement, when the pain is higher up the forearm or creaks: ask whether it could be intersection syndrome.
A pop at the elbow some time ago, and weakness turning your palm up or bending the elbow that hasn't come back: see a GP soon, even if it no longer hurts. A torn tendon can stop hurting before it's mended.
A teenager whose wrist still hurts the day after lifting, cleans, handstands or push-ups, or whose wrist is swollen: stop putting weight through the hands and see a GP or sports doctor. In growing athletes it can be a stress injury of the growth plate.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

The thumb side, at the base of the thumb, sometimes swollen, worse with hammer curls, gripping and twisting

Often de Quervain's tenosynovitis, which is commoner in women and over 40. The thumb-in-fist test hurts with it but isn't specific, so it can't confirm it on its own.

Read: De Quervain's tenosynovitis →The thumb side, a few finger-widths up the back of the forearm, sometimes swollen and creaking

Possibly intersection syndrome, from repeated wrist bending; reverse and Zottman curls may set it off (our reading).

Read: Intersection syndrome →The little-finger side, in the soft spot between the forearm bone and the wrist, sometimes clicking, or with a weaker grip

Often the TFCC, or the forearm bone pressing on the wrist (ulnar impaction): worse turning the forearm under load or gripping hard palm down. A palm-up grip lowers the load on this side.

Read: TFCC tear →The little-finger side, along the tendon on the back of the wrist, sometimes snapping as you turn your palm up

Possibly the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon, irritated or slipping in its groove; painless movement of it is common. The top of a palm-up curl with the wrist curled in matches the position that strains it (our inference). Our TFCC guide covers this side of the wrist.

Read: TFCC tear →The back of the wrist, in the middle, worse with the wrist bent back under load, or a smooth lump that aches after use

Often the joint lining pinched, or a ganglion, which often goes on its own within months to a year.

Read: Ganglion cyst →The palm side of the wrist and the forearm muscles, after hard gripping and long sets

Usually the forearm muscles that bend the wrist and fingers, overloaded. At the inner elbow it is golfer's elbow.

Read: Forearm pain →Tingling or numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often worse at night

Carpal tunnel syndrome: a nerve, not a tendon.

Read: Carpal tunnel syndrome →Tingling in the ring and little fingers, with the elbow held bent at the top of a curl

Usually the ulnar nerve, often pressed at the elbow.

Read: Ulnar nerve entrapment →A pop at the front of the elbow while lowering a heavy curl, then bruising and a bulge in the upper arm

A possible torn biceps tendon: rare (3 to 5 per 100,000 people a year) and mostly in men over 30. It isn't wrist pain; get it checked the same day, as the warning signs say.

Read: Front of the elbow (biceps tendon) →Pain at the base of the thumb after a fall or a dropped weight, tender in the hollow there

A possible broken scaphoid, about 70% of broken wrist bones. It can hide on the first X-ray.

Read: Scaphoid fracture →A deep central ache with stiffness and a weaker grip that keeps coming back

Rarely Kienböck's disease, which progresses over months or years: get it checked.

Read: Kienböck's disease →Pain at the elbow on curls rather than the wrist

Our elbow curl guide.

Read: Elbow pain in bicep curls →The same wrist pain on the bench press, front squats or presses

Our wrist pain when lifting guide.

Read: Wrist pain when lifting weights →Several swollen, warm joints in both hands, with morning stiffness

Possibly an inflammatory arthritis, which needs an urgent referral: see the warning signs.

Read: Wrist and hand pain →

Understand it

What a curl asks of the wrist, and what no study has countedEmerging evidence

A curl bends the elbow; the wrist only has to hold the weight still. The forearm muscles grip the bar and keep the wrist straight, and the forearm sits palm up with a dumbbell or a straight bar, close to halfway with an EZ bar, or thumb up in a hammer curl. Wrist pain tends to come when the load, or a change such as a new bar, more sets, heavier weights or reverse and Zottman curls, gets ahead of the tendons and joint on one side of the wrist, or when the wrist is held at the end of its range under load.

No study has measured the wrist during curls or counted wrist pain from them. The studies comparing bars and grips measured muscle activity or strength in pain-free trained men (10 to 16 per study). In gym injury data the wrist and hand are among the commoner sites, but injury rates are low: 3.6% of 393 gym users reported a wrist injury in 6 months, and in US emergency departments 8.2% of upper-limb weightlifting injuries were at the wrist, mostly from dropped weights and crushes. No study names curls.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

The thumb side and the palm sideStrong evidence

Pain at the base of the thumb, worse moving the thumb, gripping and twisting, is often de Quervain's tenosynovitis. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) names lifting with your arms in front of you and your thumbs pointing up, while the wrist moves, as an aggravator: that is a hammer curl. In 12 million person-years of US military data it was commoner in women (2.8 against 0.6 per 1,000 a year) and over 40, and the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) says there is little evidence that work activities cause it. The thumb-in-fist test (often called Finkelstein's) isn't specific: even a refined version was positive in about 7 in 10 people whose ultrasound didn't show it (100 patients), so a self-test can't confirm it.

On the palm side, the tendons that bend the wrist and fingers are the usual source after hard gripping and long sets; a tendon on the thumb side of the palm (flexor carpi radialis) is an uncommon cause (16 people in one case series). Tingling or numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often worse at night, is carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve rather than a tendon.

Sources 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

The little-finger side: the TFCC, the ulna and the ECU tendonEmerging evidence

Pain on the little-finger side has several overlapping sources: the TFCC, a cushion of cartilage and ligament between the forearm bone on that side (the ulna) and the wrist; the ulna pressing on the wrist (ulnar impaction); and the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon beside it. Reviews say tenderness of the TFCC and of the ECU are often hard to tell apart. In specialist clinics, pressing the soft spot found 95% of TFCC problems (272 people), and a resisted-movement test helped separate the tendon from the joint (55 people). Weightlifters are a named group for TFCC injury.

How the forearm sits matters. In 120 healthy volunteers, the ulna sat relatively longest against the wrist when gripping hard palm down and shortest relaxed palm up; in 22 people with little-finger-side pain, a palm-down grip X-ray showed the change more clearly, and reviews say a palm-down grip is typically painful with ulnar impaction. So a palm-up curl lowers the load on this joint. The ECU tendon is different: a sports medicine review says the strain on its sheath is greatest turning the palm up with the wrist bent in and towards the little finger, the position at the top of a palm-up curl held tight to the chest. A straight bar holds the forearm at the end of its palm-up turn for every rep, when most daily activities need only about 50 degrees of it (33 adults). Linking these positions to curls is our inference; no study has measured them in curls.

Sources 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Who gets it

Two patterns seem likely, from the condition studies rather than any curl study: newer lifters, or people who add load or curl variations quickly; and people whose wrist is already sore from elsewhere (lifting a baby, typing, racket sport, an old fall) who notice it on curls. De Quervain's is commoner in women, over 40 and in pregnancy, TFCC wear is common with age (up to 49% from 70), and the ECU problems in the medical literature come from tennis, golf and rugby.

Sources 10, 23, 16, 17

When a scan or test mattersStrong evidence

Not at first for gradual pain without warning signs: the NHS starts with looking after it at home and a GP after 2 weeks, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows TFCC changes in many pain-free wrists (38% of 103 volunteers, with complete tears in 22%, and more with age).

Tests do matter after a fall or a dropped weight with pain at the base of the thumb: an X-ray, then follow-up imaging if it's normal, because in one review's estimate about a quarter of suspected fractures with a normal first X-ray turn out to be broken. They also matter for little-finger-side pain that clicks, feels unstable or hasn't settled after a good trial of rehab (one review suggests 3 to 6 months of structured rehab before referral, sooner if grip or range isn't improving); a suspected torn biceps tendon (an examination the same day); a central ache that keeps coming back (Kienböck's disease progresses slowly and is often first taken for a sprain); a hot, swollen wrist with a high temperature (same-day tests); and swollen joints in both hands, which the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asks GPs to refer urgently.

Sources 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 16, 30, 31, 32, 33

How it usually goesMixed evidence

No study follows wrist pain from curls. The NHS expects wrist pain to improve within 2 weeks of looking after it at home, and an NHS trust says most soft tissue wrist injuries improve a lot within 6 weeks, though some take 3 months or longer. Mild de Quervain's can settle on its own within a few weeks, and severe cases can take months; in two US hand centres, 199 of 2,513 people with it (7.9%) had surgery over up to 12 years.

For TFCC injuries, 57% of 84 people avoided surgery after at least 4 weeks in a splint or cast, and about half of 100 wrists with a positive soft-spot test improved without surgery. A ganglion often goes on its own within months to a year. No one can promise a date.

Sources 24, 34, 23, 11, 35, 36, 37, 38

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Straight bar, EZ bar or dumbbells: a matter of comfortEmerging evidence

In 12 trained men, the forearms stayed fully palm up throughout a straight-bar curl and close to halfway with an EZ bar, and muscle activity differed so little that the researchers called the choice purely a matter of comfort; a second study of a straight, EZ and hammer bar in 12 men measured muscle activity only. Elbow-bending strength was highest thumb up (about 244 newtons), then palm up (214) and much lower palm down (114) in 11 men, so a hammer grip costs no strength and a reverse curl needs about half the weight.

Whether palm down shifts work to the forearm muscle on the thumb side (the brachioradialis) depends on the study: it did in unloaded bending (16 adults), but under a heavy cable load both muscles worked hardest palm up (10 bodybuilders). None of these studies measured the wrist or included anyone in pain.

Sources 1, 5, 4, 2, 3

Keep the wrist straight: a reading of lab studiesEmerging evidence

People choose to grip with the wrist bent back about 35 degrees and slightly towards the little finger, and grip was weaker in any position away from that; with the wrist only 15 degrees back, grip fell to two thirds to three quarters of normal (20 adults). A wrist curled in at the top of a curl is further still from that strongest position (our inference). Loading a bent-back wrist raised the pressure between the forearm bone and the scaphoid in 8 cadaver wrists in a push-up study. With the ulna and ECU findings above, that is the case for keeping the wrist straight and in line with the forearm: a reading of lab studies, not a tested fix.

Sources 39, 40, 17, 20

Thumb-side pain: what helps de Quervain'sStrong evidence

Across 30 studies (1,663 people), a steroid injection plus 3 to 4 weeks in a splint covering the wrist and the base of the thumb had the best support, with an edge over an injection alone that was statistically but not clinically important (moderate certainty for function). Anti-inflammatory tablets weren't supported, and no exercise trial was included. Wearing a splint full-time did no better than wearing it when wanted (83 people), and its authors called splinting palliative at best. A European expert consensus agreed that advice alone isn't enough, and the AAOS says surgery may be recommended if symptoms are severe or haven't improved after 6 weeks of non-surgical treatment.

Sources 41, 42, 43, 9

Little-finger-side pain: non-surgical care firstEmerging evidence

Across 8 studies (425 people followed for 1 to 7 years), most traumatic TFCC tears managed without surgery did about as well as those repaired; 57% of 84 people avoided surgery after at least 4 weeks in a splint or cast, and 54% of 100 wrists with a positive soft-spot test improved without surgery. These are specialist clinic samples, not lifters. A review suggests 3 to 6 months of structured rehab before referral, and a splint and anti-inflammatory medicines first for ulnar impaction.

For an irritated ECU tendon, a sports medicine review uses still (isometric) holds until the pain settles, typically over 5 to 10 days, then staged loading, with a splint for about 3 weeks for an acute flare; one case report built from 30-second holds to 3 sets of 8 to 12 with a band, at pain under 3 out of 10. An ulnar wrist strap or a hinged brace may ease TFCC pain in the short term (3 small studies, one a single session in 21 people).

Sources 44, 36, 37, 16, 15, 17, 45, 46, 47

Forearm strengthening: borrowed from NHS hand therapyEmerging evidence

No trial has tested exercise for wrist pain from curls, and exercise hasn't been tested on its own for de Quervain's. Our plan borrows NHS hand-therapy programmes, as our other wrist guides do. Oxford's wrist booklet uses weighted wrist bends both ways and turning palm up and down, 10 slow reps until the wrist feels tired, building to 3 sets of 10 every other day, at about 5 out of 10 discomfort that settles within 30 minutes. Leicestershire's leaflet adds a squeeze, up to 10 times at least once a day, and Bath's includes slow lowering.

Cambridge's leaflet starts an irritable tendon with still holds, kept pain-free, halving the effort if they hurt, with separate holds for the thumb-side and little-finger-side tendons. NHS inform paces hand exercises from 2 or 3 at a time. These were written for after a broken wrist or a soft tissue injury, not for lifters.

Sources 48, 34, 49, 50, 51

Wraps: comfort, not a cureEmerging evidence

In 18 trained adults, wrist wraps didn't change bench press strength, power or speed, though lifters felt more stable (and less comfortable); in 54 CrossFit athletes, a wrap didn't change grip strength (35.7 against 35.6 kg). No study has tested wraps for wrist pain or for curls.

Sources 52, 53

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to 5 out of 10, settled within half an hour, and lower on the little-finger sideEmerging evidence

This guide uses the wrist hub's rule, as our wrist lifting and push-up guides do. Some discomfort during these exercises is fine and doesn't mean you are doing damage. Keep it to about 5 out of 10 or less. It should settle within half an hour or so, and your hand should be no worse the next morning. If it is, do fewer, smaller or lighter next time, not nothing. The Oxford NHS wrist booklet uses the same limit, about 5 out of 10 discomfort that settles within 30 minutes, and NHS inform's hand exercises use the same bands (0 to 3 minimal, 4 to 5 acceptable, 6 to 10 too much) with pain no worse the morning after. An NHS trust's leaflet says mild discomfort is fine if it settles afterwards and doesn't keep getting worse.

On the little-finger side, keep it lower: about 3 out of 10 during and after exercise, as our TFCC tear guide does from a review's targets, which its authors call an untested framework. The one ECU case report also kept pain under 3 out of 10 and moved on only when the next 24 hours stayed calm. For an irritable tendon on either side, Cambridge's isometric leaflet asks for pain-free holds, halving the effort if they hurt, and Bath's de Quervain's leaflet says don't exercise into pain: those stricter versions suit the first days.

For curls (our suggestion, built on the same rule): judge each set by its last reps, and choose the bar, grip, range and load where the wrist stays at 5 out of 10 or less (3 on the little-finger side) and settles within half an hour. Tingling, numbness, a painful snap over the little-finger side or a pop at the elbow isn't a pain-rule question: see the warning signs.

Sources 48, 51, 34, 16, 45, 50, 23

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Change the curl, calm the wrist

About the first 2 weeks, arm training 2 or 3 times a week and wrist work daily: keep training your arms within the pain rule with a curl that doesn't provoke the sore side, keep the wrist moving, and start still holds for an irritable tendon. With a diagnosed condition (de Quervain's, a TFCC injury, intersection syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, a ganglion, a torn biceps tendon or a broken scaphoid), that guide's plan comes first; after surgery or a fracture, your team's plan does.

Wrist & forearm flow demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWrist & forearm flowBeginner · No equipment

2 or 3 slow reps of each movement at a time, every hour or so, adding 1 or 2 every few days, then sets of 8 · NHS inform's pacing for hand exercises, as in our wrist lifting guide

Easier: Wrist circles · Harder: Wrist flexor stretch

Reverse wrist curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoReverse wrist curlBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

If the back or little-finger side of the wrist is sore: 5 holds of 30 to 45 s, once a day, palm down, wrist level, forearm supported · As in our wrist lifting guide (editorial). Light enough to stay within the pain rule: holds first, as an NHS hand-therapy leaflet and an ECU review advise

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Wrist curls demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWrist curlsBeginner · A dumbbell

If the palm side is sore: 5 holds of 30 to 45 s, once a day, palm up, wrist level · As in our wrist lifting guide (editorial)

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Standing cable curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoStanding cable curlBeginner · A cable machine

2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, light, stopping 2 or 3 reps short, wrists straight · Editorial. A cable or a curl machine lets the load rise in small steps

Harder: Dumbbell biceps curl

Hammer curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoHammer curlBeginner · A dumbbell

Little-finger-side pain only: 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, light · Editorial. Skip it with thumb-side pain, as the move page says

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Alternating hammer curl

Dumbbell biceps curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell biceps curlBeginner · A dumbbell

Thumb-side pain: 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, light, palm up, instead of hammer curls · Editorial, the swap our wrist lifting guide uses

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Incline inner biceps curl

Move on when: Gripping a dumbbell or a bag is comfortable, the holds and curls pass the pain rule, and the wrist is no worse the next morning, for a week (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Load the forearm

About weeks 2 to 6, strengthening every other day: build forearm strength in every direction, as NHS wrist programmes do, and bring back curls through more of the range with the grip that suits the sore side.

3D demoWrist curlsBeginner · A dumbbell

10 slow reps, holding each for a count of 5, with a weight that tires the wrist by the tenth; building to 3 sets of 10, every other day · The Oxford NHS wrist booklet's dose, written for after a broken wrist (borrowed), as in our wrist lifting guide

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

3D demoReverse wrist curlBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

The same: 10 slow reps with a 5-count hold, building to 3 sets of 10, every other day · The Oxford booklet's dose (borrowed)

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Dumbbell forearm rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell forearm rotationBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

5 slow turns each way, building to 2 sets of 10 · The start is the Oxford booklet's weighted turning; 2 sets of 10 is editorial, as in our wrist lifting guide. With little-finger-side pain, start with a light hammer (up to about 200 g) held by the handle, as our TFCC tear guide does

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Ball squeeze demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBall squeezeBeginner · Other / check instructions

Up to 10 squeezes · The Leicestershire NHS leaflet's dose

Easier: Tendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises) · Harder: Band finger extension

Farmer's carry demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoFarmer's carryIntermediate · A dumbbell + A kettlebell

3 walks of 20 to 30 m, light, wrists straight · As in our wrist lifting and TFCC guides (editorial)

Harder: Suitcase carry

EZ-bar curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoEZ-bar curlIntermediate · EZ curl bar

3 sets of 10 to 12, lowering over about 3 s · Editorial. The EZ bar as the comfort choice

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Chin-up

Move on when: 3 sets of 10 wrist bends both ways and the forearm turns pass the pain rule, EZ-bar curls are comfortable, and the wrist is fine the next morning, for a week (editorial, following the Oxford progression).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Back to your usual curls

From about week 4 to 8, often later: your usual curls, one change at a time by the written steps below: load, then the straight bar, then hammer curls (last with thumb-side pain), then reverse and Zottman curls (last with little-finger-side pain). No study has tested a return to curling after wrist pain, so the order is editorial.

3D demoEZ-bar curlIntermediate · EZ curl bar

3 sets of 8 to 12, stopping 2 or 3 reps short · The dose our bicep curl guide gives for the pull day workout (editorial)

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Chin-up

Barbell curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBarbell curlIntermediate · A barbell

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12, from about half your old weight, adding about 5% to 10% a week while the pain rule holds · Editorial. Only if it stays comfortable; the EZ bar is a fine place to stay

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Chin-up

3D demoHammer curlBeginner · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 12 · As in our elbow curl guide (editorial). Last with thumb-side pain

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Alternating hammer curl

Dumbbell reverse curl demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell reverse curlIntermediate · A dumbbell

2 sets of 10 to 12, light · As in our elbow curl guide (editorial). Last with little-finger-side pain, with a firm but not crushing grip

Easier: Seated dumbbell curl · Harder: Chin-up

3D demoReverse wrist curlBeginner · A dumbbell + A bench or box

2 sets of 10 to 15, twice a week, with wrist curls the same, kept up for a few months · Editorial, as our wrist and elbow guides keep forearm work going

Easier: Wrist-extensor eccentrics · Harder: Plate pinch

Move on when: Your usual arm sessions pass the pain rule for 2 weeks. If it flares after a big session, go back a stage for a few days, not to nothing (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Your curl for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show where the bar sits in your hand. No trial has tested a change to the curl for wrist pain; each step names its source or says editorial.

1. Bar: an EZ bar, dumbbells, a cable with a rope or a curl machine rather than a straight bar for now. In a lab study, the choice between bars was a matter of comfort.
2. Grip by where it hurts. Thumb side: palms up, and no hammer, reverse or Zottman curls for now; the AAOS names thumbs-up lifting with wrist movement as an aggravator of de Quervain's. Little-finger side: a neutral or EZ grip, and no straight-bar curls or hard palm-down reverse curls for now (a hard palm-down grip pushes the ulna against the wrist, and turning fully palm up with the wrist curled in strains the ECU tendon).
3. Wrist: straight, in line with your forearm, at every point. Don't curl it in at the top or let it sag back at the bottom (editorial; grip is strongest with the wrist slightly back).
4. Grip pressure: firm but not crushing. The NHS says don't grip anything too tightly while your wrist is sore.
5. Load: a weight you can curl 10 to 15 times without swinging, stopping 2 or 3 reps short, with fewer sets for 1 to 2 weeks and no new curl variations or arm-day challenges (editorial).
6. Tempo: about 2 seconds up and 3 seconds down, with no swinging or dropping into straight arms (editorial, as in our elbow curl guide).
7. Wraps: optional, for comfort on heavy sets. They haven't been tested for pain.
8. Preacher and machine curls: keep the wrist straight at the stretched bottom, use dumbbells, the EZ bar or a cable on the pad, and bring them back late (editorial; no study has looked at the wrist in them).
9. Elsewhere in the week: lifting straps on heavy rows, deadlifts and shrugs, so your forearms are fresher; neutral handles on presses; and our wrist lifting guide for the bench press, front squats and presses (editorial).

Sources 1, 9, 20, 17, 39, 24, 52, 53

Back to your usual curls (written steps)

No study has tested a return to curling after wrist pain, so these steps are our suggestion.

1. One change at a time: load, then the straight bar, then hammer curls, then reverse and Zottman curls.
2. Add about 5% to 10% at a time after a session that passed the pain rule, as in our wrist lifting guide.
3. Keep forearm work twice a week for a few months after the pain has gone.
4. If it flares after a big session, go back a stage for a few days, not to nothing.

Splints, injections and everyday life

For a de Quervain's flare, a splint covering the thumb and wrist can be worn as you prefer: full-time wear did no better than wearing it when wanted. If it persists, a steroid injection plus 3 to 4 weeks in the splint has the best evidence, and NHS hand-therapy leaflets then add gentle thumb and wrist exercises (our de Quervain's guide has them). For little-finger-side pain, an ulnar strap or a light brace during heavy tasks may ease pain in the short term, and an acute ECU flare may need a splint for about 3 weeks.

Everyday life: during a de Quervain's flare, lift a child or your shopping with your palms up rather than your thumbs up, since the AAOS names thumbs-up lifting as an aggravator. Keep your hands and wrists moving with gentle exercise, as the NHS advises; it also says resting a repetitive strain for more than a few days can leave it weaker and stiffer.

Sources 42, 41, 54, 55, 46, 47, 17, 9, 24, 56

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Straight-bar curls with little-finger-side pain	The bar holds your forearms fully palm up for every rep; turning to the end of that range strains the ECU tendon's sheath, especially with the wrist curled in (our inference for curls).	An EZ bar or dumbbells.Try: EZ-bar curl
Hammer, reverse or Zottman curls with thumb-side pain	Thumbs-up lifting with wrist movement aggravates de Quervain's, and the move page says leave thumb-up curls until it settles.	Light palm-up curls.Try: Dumbbell biceps curl
Reverse curls with a crushing grip and little-finger-side pain	A hard palm-down grip makes the ulna sit longer against the wrist, and reviews say a palm-down grip is typically painful with ulnar impaction.	Hammer curls.Try: Hammer curl
Curling the wrist in at the top, with the weight held tight to your chest	Turning palm up with the wrist curled in and towards the little finger is the position that strains the ECU tendon (our inference for curls).	Keep the wrist straight and stop the curl a little lower.Try: Dumbbell biceps curl
Letting the wrist sag back at the bottom of heavy sets	Loading a bent-back wrist raised the pressure between the forearm bone and the scaphoid in 8 cadaver wrists (a push-up study).	A lighter weight with the wrist straight.Try: EZ-bar curl
Heavy wrist curls or the wrist roller to toughen the wrist in the first days	Irritable tendons settle with still holds first, as an NHS hand-therapy leaflet and an ECU review advise.	Still holds.Try: Reverse wrist curl
Wrapping every set, or counting on wraps to heal it	Wraps changed how stable the wrist felt, not strength, and haven't been tested for pain.	Wraps on heavy sets only, with forearm work.Try: Wrist curls
Resting the wrist completely for weeks	Full-time splinting did no better for de Quervain's, and the NHS says resting a repetitive strain for more than a few days can leave it weaker.	Keep it moving.Try: Wrist & forearm flow
Pushing through tingling in the fingers	That is a nerve, not a tendon.	Change the wrist and elbow position, and see a GP if it lasts.
Curling through a pop at the elbow	It may be a torn biceps tendon.	Stop and get it checked the same day.

Routines to follow

Bicep workout: curls with your arm in three positions, plus hammer curls

A 30-minute biceps session: an EZ-bar curl, an incline curl, a preacher curl and hammer curls, about 10 hard sets, in the gym or with dumbbells.

30 minIntermediate6 movesA dumbbell, EZ curl bar

Arm workout

Biceps, triceps and forearms: curls, hammer curls, skull crushers, pushdowns, concentration curls and dips.

35 minBeginner7 movesA dumbbell, A bench or box

Arm workout at home: curls and triceps with dumbbells

A 30-minute arm workout at home with dumbbells: curls, hammer curls and concentration curls paired with overhead extensions, close-grip push-ups and kickbacks.

30 minBeginner8 movesA dumbbell

Wrist and forearm routine

Wrist mobility and forearm strength for desk work, climbing, push-ups and handstands.

10 minBeginner7 movesA wall, A dumbbell

Grip strength workout: squeezes, curls, carries and hangs

A 20-minute grip session: warm up the wrists and fingers, train the hand and forearm muscles, then carry and hang to load your grip the way everyday life does.

20 minBeginner10 movesOther / check instructions, A band

Forearm workout: hammer curls, reverse curls and Zottman curls

A 25-minute forearm size workout with dumbbells: hammer, reverse and Zottman curls for the big muscle on the thumb side, then wrist curls and a carry.

25 minBeginner7 movesA dumbbell, A kettlebell

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my wrist hurt when I do bicep curls?

Usually because the load or the grip holds the wrist at the end of its range on one side. A hard palm-down grip loads the little-finger side of the joint, and turning fully palm up with the wrist curled in at the top strains the tendon there, as a straight bar can (our reading of lab studies). Where it hurts is the best clue: the thumb side, the little-finger side, the back of the wrist and tingling in the fingers point to different causes.

What is the pain on the outside (little-finger side) of my wrist when I curl?

Often the TFCC, a cushion of cartilage and ligament there, or the ECU tendon beside it; it hurts turning the forearm, gripping palm down or bending the wrist towards the little finger, sometimes with clicking. Use an EZ bar or neutral grips, keep the wrist straight and keep pain to about 3 out of 10. See a GP or physiotherapist if it clicks painfully, feels unstable or isn't settling; our TFCC tear guide covers it in full.

Why does the thumb side of my wrist hurt with hammer curls?

Pain at the base of the thumb, worse with thumbs-up lifting and gripping, is often de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Curl with your palms up for now and see our de Quervain's guide. If it persists, a steroid injection plus a thumb splint has the best evidence.

Is an EZ bar better for my wrists than a straight bar?

For many people, yes, because it puts the forearms closer to halfway between palm up and thumb up. In a lab study the muscle work was nearly the same, so the choice is about comfort. Dumbbells, a cable rope or a machine work too.

How should I hold my wrist when I curl?

Straight, in line with your forearm, from bottom to top. Don't curl it in at the top or let it bend back at the bottom; people grip most strongly with the wrist slightly back, not curled in.

Should I stop doing curls?

Usually not: change them. Go lighter, use the bar and grip that keep pain at 5 out of 10 or less (3 on the little-finger side), and build back over weeks with the plan on this page. The NHS says keep your hands and wrists moving with gentle exercise.

Do wrist wraps help with wrist pain on curls?

They haven't been tested for pain. In two small trials they didn't change strength or grip, though people felt more stable. Use them on heavy sets if they help, and build forearm strength alongside.

What does pain on the inside (palm side) of my wrist mean?

Most often the tendons that bend the wrist and fingers, overloaded by hard gripping and long sets; a tendon on the thumb side of the palm (flexor carpi radialis) is an uncommon cause. Tingling or numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often worse at night, is carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve rather than a tendon. See a GP if it lasts or your thumb gets weak.

Why do preacher curls or the curl machine hurt my wrists?

No study has looked, so this is our reading: the pad fixes your upper arm, so at the stretched bottom the wrist often bends back or curls in to hold the bar, and a straight bar adds the full palm-up turn. Keep the wrist straight, use dumbbells, the EZ bar or a cable on the pad, and bring preacher curls back late in the plan.

Do I need a scan?

Usually not at first: MRI often shows TFCC changes in pain-free wrists. After a fall with pain at the base of the thumb you need an X-ray the same day, and little-finger-side pain that clicks or hasn't settled after a good trial of rehab may need a specialist's assessment.

How long will it take?

No one can promise a date. Most soft tissue wrist injuries improve a lot within 6 weeks, though some take 3 months or longer, and mild de Quervain's can settle in a few weeks. A review suggests 3 to 6 months of rehab for TFCC injuries before surgery is considered.

When should I see a doctor?

Get same-day help after a fall with pain at the base of the thumb, or for a hot, swollen wrist with a high temperature or numbness that's spreading. Go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E for a pop at the front of the elbow with bruising and a bulge in the upper arm, which may be a torn biceps tendon. See a GP if it hasn't improved after 2 weeks, you have tingling or diabetes, or a lump is growing; in the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.