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One of the most common complaints among novice CrossFit athletes is wrist pain in the front rack position. There are a number of reasons as to why but arguably can be boiled down to the arm and hand being placed in a position that the athlete's current level of flexibility does not allow for. Optimal front rack positioning requires not only flexibility of the wrist into extension but also flexibility of the lats, internal rotators of the shoulder as well as the upper back into extension.
High volume stress into end range or just beyond a comfortable stretch is a recipe for an overuse injury and pain. The front rack position is a very common position utilized in movements regularly seen in a typical CrossFit workout. This includes any shoulder to overhead movement, thrusters, front squats, push-ups and even in the catch position of a bar or ring muscle up. It is in every athlete's best interest to ensure optimal upper extremity mobility to be sure the undue stress is not being placed through the wrist. Below are a few stretches that can easily be incorporated into a pre-WOD warm up to get those wrists front rack ready!