Summary
Chris Masterjohn shares his personal experience using voodoo flossing to relieve wrist pain from heavy computer use and Olympic lifting. He credits Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD for popularizing the technique and walks listeners through a complete wrist flossing protocol, including wrapping, movement drills against a wall and on the floor, and a super band distraction variation he added himself. Masterjohn explains the proposed mechanism -- compression reduces circulation, movement under that compression creates a shearing effect, and upon removal blood floods back into the joint to promote healing. He emphasizes the exceptional bang-for-buck of voodoo flossing, noting it takes only one to two minutes per wrist per day and can dramatically reduce pain and discomfort for anyone who types regularly.
Key Points
- Voodoo flossing involves wrapping an elastic compression band around a joint and performing pain-free movement for 1-2 minutes
- Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD is credited with popularizing the technique
- The mechanism involves compression reducing circulation, then a flood of blood upon band removal that nourishes the joint
- Masterjohn's wrist protocol: open/close hand, rotate forearm, wall extension, floor reverse push-up position, super band distraction
- Only 1-2 minutes per wrist per day needed for significant relief
- Especially useful for computer users experiencing wrist pain, discomfort, or frequent cracking
- Wrist pain from computer use can compound when adding Olympic lifting or other demanding activities
- The bang-for-buck ratio is extremely high -- minimal time investment for maximum benefit
Key Moments
What voodoo flossing is and why it works for wrist pain
Chris Masterjohn explains the concept of voodoo flossing, crediting Kelly Starrett of MobilityWOD for popularizing it. He describes how wrapping an elastic band around a joint under compression while performing movement creates a synergistic healing effect when blood floods back in upon removal.
"If you know what voodoo flossing is, start doing it for your wrists. If you don't know what voodoo flossing is, listen on and watch the video in the show notes about how to do it for your wrists. But voodoo flossing is an idea that"
The compression and reperfusion mechanism behind voodoo flossing
Masterjohn explains the proposed mechanism of voodoo flossing -- performing movement under band compression partially restricts circulation, and upon removal blood floods into the joint at a greater rate to nourish and heal it.
"apparently there's some kind of synergistic effect between doing the movement under compression and then when you take the band off, getting this massive flow of blood flowing"
Step-by-step wrist voodoo flossing protocol
Masterjohn walks through a detailed wrist flossing protocol adapted from Kinetic Sports Rehab: open/close the hand, forearm rotation, wall extension with lateral movement, and floor reverse push-up position with forward, backward, side-to-side, and circular movements.
"Open and close your wrist back and forth maybe 10 times and then turn your arm clockwise and counterclockwise alternating and make sure you get that rotation all the way into the wrist maybe 10 times. Then you put your hand flat up against the wall and you try to get a 90 degree angle at your wrist."
Only 1-2 minutes per day for dramatic wrist pain relief
Masterjohn emphasizes the exceptional time efficiency of voodoo flossing for wrist pain -- only one to two minutes per day per wrist, with a remarkably high bang-for-buck ratio even for people without overt pain.
"you should try voodoo flossing to see whether it helps because it only takes one to two minutes per day per wrist to try it. And the impact in my experience is so great that there's, you know, few things that you could do for your wrists apart from not typing anymore that would have a"
