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Around 2-3 years ago I was diagnosed with de Quervain's Tenosynovitis in my right wrist. It's basically carpal tunnel, but in a different tendon. Repetitive movements, like typing and using a mouse (all I do all day at work), as well as lifting heavy things like grocery bags or small children in and out of seats, makes it worse. Dead lifts make it a lot worse. I did dead lifts at the gym yesterday, and full flareup is in progress. This worries me, because I really want to start the StrongLifts program (power clean just looks bad for the inflamed wrist), but I worry that holding a progressively heavier and heavier barbell will cause the DQT to spiral out of control. I have received cortison shots in the past and they seem to help, but I really don't want to have a third, and the next step up is surgery. Currently I am taking an anti-inflammatory every day and wearing a brace to stabilize the thumb whenever it's practical for me to do so. I'm looking for advice from lifters who have been in my situation. (Yes, I know I should be talking to my doctor, but while he is an excellent doctor and I trust him, he is not a lifter. He's a runner. I'm keeping him in the loop though.) Since the condition is caused by over-use, I have decided to stop doing dead lifts for now. I can do squats, since the weight of the bar is not supported by the hand or thumb at all, and will look to change up a lot of my dumbbell and barbell exercises for something that keeps stress off the wrist. I just don't know what those would be. Exercises I'm looking to replace are chest press, shoulder press, including the over-head one, push-up and assisted pull-ups, for now. I think I can do row as long as I don't wrap my thumb around the bar, but haven't truly tested that theory yet. I'm not trying to replace the exercises in StrongLifts, at this point I'm simply trying to find things I can do at the gym that give the thumb tendons a chance to rest so they can heal, while working those muscles. And I hope I put this in the correct forum. i wasn't sure where to put the thread.

I have bilateral tendonitis (that just means both arms, in the forearms) and possibly light carpal tunnel syndrome developing in my left wrist. I work with computers for my job, so that exacerbates the issue, but it was primarily caused by the ungodly amount of shoveling I've had to do in the past month (heyo Boston). The pain got really bad this week and I saw a doctor yesterday. My prescription: get PT, use Bengay, wear a wrist brace at night. I've been looking up stretches online and trying to do them throughout the day. I see a chiropractor on Saturday and hope to get more exercises at that point. My chiro has told my husband many times to see him first when prescribed with PT, because unless it's an issue that needs supervision, usually you just get the exercises and do them all at home anyway. My CrossFit coach told me to come in as often as I can anyway and that everything can be modified. I feel like the only things I can do right now are squats. I can't hold bars, I am not sure if I can lift anything, and I can't really grasp things without discomfort. Even moving my dinner plate is painful! The coach also said that he can show/help me to something called "flossing"?? It's supposed to speed up my recovery. The doctor said it might take a few weeks to feel back to normal. I guess that rules out the mixed gender internal competition at my box on Feb 28th. I'm not sure if I'm asking anything here. Maybe looking for some sympathy. I'm pissed off and miserable. Combine endless snow, with a propensity for depression, and now injury, and I'm not a happy camper! Part of me wants to wallow in my frustration and just take the rest of the week off from CrossFit altogether. The other part of me thinks that I can't shovel anyway, so I might as well spend the energy getting strong instead.

Hey all, I'm wondering if anyone has a solution for a problem I'm facing. I have recurring tendonitis in both of my wrists (worse in my right), and while I don't suffer with it all the time, when I have flare-ups it can make certain activities more difficult. I attempted to do some push ups this morning and while I powered through it, my wrist wasn't thanking me. Is there any modification I can do to my form to help, or perhaps another exercise that will work equal muscle groups? Or should I power through it, logic telling me that continuing to work at it will strengthen my wrists and possibly help to prevent flare ups in the future? (I have no idea if this logic is sound or not). Let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks!