7 Common Wrist Injuries from CrossFit & How to Prevent Them (2025 Guide)

Wrist pain affects up to 25% of CrossFit athletes and can turn your favorite WODs into torture sessions. Whether it's shooting pain during front squats, aching handstand holds, or that stabbing sensation when catching cleans, wrist injuries are among the most frustrating setbacks in functional fitness.

As a physiotherapist who's treated CrossFit Games athletes and Olympic gymnasts for over 15 years, I've identified the 7 most common wrist injuries that plague CrossFit athletes. The good news? Most are completely preventable when you understand what's happening in your joint.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll discover:

• The 7 most common CrossFit wrist injuries and their warning signs

• Why traditional "rest and ice" advice often makes things worse

• 3 simple prevention exercises that stop 80% of wrist problems

• Exact treatment protocols and return-to-training timelines

• When to self-treat vs. when to see a physiotherapist

The two injuries I see most often—dorsal wrist impingement and scaphoid impaction syndrome—can sideline you for months if ignored. But catch them early, and you could be back to pain-free training in just 2-3 weeks.