Wrist Tack and Spin
The wrist tack and spin technique pins forearm tissue with a lacrosse ball and then rotates the wrist through its full range. This breaks up adhesions between the forearm muscles and the underlying fascia, restoring wrist mobility for pressing, front rack, and overhead movements.
Setup
- Place a lacrosse ball on a table or desk.
- Rest the inside of your forearm (flexor side, palm-up) on the ball, about 2–3 inches below the elbow.
- Press down firmly to “tack” the tissue — the ball should sink into the muscle.
- While maintaining pressure, slowly rotate your forearm from palm-up to palm-down and back (pronation and supination). Perform 8–10 rotations.
- Move the ball one inch closer to the wrist and repeat. Continue until you’ve worked from below the elbow to just above the wrist.
- Flip your arm over and repeat on the extensor side (palm-down on the ball).
Coaching Cues
What to feel:
- The ball anchoring into the tissue while the wrist rotates underneath
- A pulling or stretching sensation as the tissue slides against the ball
- Gradual softening of tight spots after several rotations
Common mistakes:
- Not pressing hard enough — the ball needs to actually pin the tissue for the technique to work
- Moving the ball instead of spinning the wrist — the ball stays still while you rotate
- Skipping the extensor side — both surfaces of the forearm need work
- Going too fast — slow, deliberate rotations are more effective than quick spins
Tip
If you find a spot that’s particularly tight or painful, hold the ball there and add wrist flexion/extension (bending the wrist up and down) in addition to the rotation. This addresses the tissue from multiple angles.
Video and animated demos coming soon.
Programming
| Parameter | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 minutes per arm |
| Sets | 1 pass from elbow to wrist on each surface |
| Frequency | 3–5x per week |
| When to do it | Upper body focus, full mobility session |
Progressions
- Beginner: Tennis ball on a soft surface, light pressure. Slow rotations only.
- Intermediate: Lacrosse ball on a hard surface, adding wrist flexion/extension at each position.
- Advanced: Lacrosse ball with maximum pressure, combining rotation with finger extension and grip movements.