Isometric radial deviation works the muscles that tip your hand toward the thumb side of the wrist, without the wrist moving. With your forearm and hand resting flat on a table, palm down, your other hand holds the thumb side of the working hand while you try to push the hand sideways toward the thumb. Physios often use it early in wrist rehab, when moving the wrist against a weight is still too much.

How to do the isometric radial deviation

Sit at a table and rest the forearm and hand of the wrist you are working flat on it, palm down, as in the video.
Hold your other hand upright and place it along the thumb side of the working hand, against the index finger, so it can stop the hand from moving.
Try to bend your wrist toward your thumb, as if sliding the hand sideways across the table. Your other hand pushes back just enough that the working hand stays still.
Build the push up slowly, hold it steady for a few seconds and breathe normally.
Relax both hands slowly, rest for a moment, then repeat.

What you should feel

Steady effort in the forearm on the thumb side, from just below the elbow toward the wrist. Tired muscles are fine, but the wrist itself should not hurt.

Common mistakes

Letting the wrist move, which means the two pushes are not matched.
Bending the wrist forward or back instead of sideways toward the thumb.
Lifting the forearm off the table or leaning your body into the push.
Starting with a hard, sudden push.

How often

A common starting point is 5 to 10 holds of about 5 to 10 seconds, once or twice a day, beginning with a light push. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain on the thumb side of the wrist or in the forearm while you push.
Tingling or numbness in your fingers during or after the holds. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
Wrist pain that is clearly worse later that day or the next day.

From the clinic

The video uses a treatment table, but any steady table or desk works. Keep the push light to begin with, and add effort over the following days only if the wrist stays settled. Breathe out through each hold rather than bracing, especially if you have high blood pressure.

Pain on the thumb side of the wrist, as in de Quervain's tenosynovitis, can be stirred up by this direction of effort, so ask your physio before starting it. After a broken wrist, hand or forearm, or surgery on any of them such as a tendon repair, start only when your doctor, surgeon, physio or hand therapist says the bone or repair is ready for this, and follow their plan for how much to do. For the same side to side movement without resistance, see wrist radial and ulnar deviation, and for a similar hold in another direction, see isometric wrist flexion.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Isometric radial deviation