Hey FarmerTed,
Yes muscle wasting does occur at different rates for different people, but the recovery process is the same for everybody. I'm assuming there is no neurological damage and that you still have normal feeling in your fingers?
First things first, before you begin to restrengthen your wrist flexors and extensors, you'll want to recover full range of motion in your wrist and hand fingers and elbow. Because some of the muscles some of the muscles involved cross more than one joint yes I it is important to do the ranges of motion in your elbow. So start with some simple movements like alternate fist clenching and opening you hand, wrist circles, bending and straightening your elbow completely, and supination and pronation of the forearm. (elbows bent to 90 degrees then alternate palm up and palm down)
When all these motions are comfortable add some light pain free stretching to help with and contracture formation if there is any present.
A couple of days down the road you should be ready to start some resistance training to recoup your strength, the key is to work gradually and not overtax the muscle and re injure it. Even though you may not be in pain anymore the muscle tissue will be more susceptible to being damaged again right now. I would suggest getting a piece of Theraband (resistance band) from your local physiotherapist or health and fitness store to being your exercises and as your comfortable shorten the band to increase the resistance.
Best of luck with your recovery!
Mark, McAllister, RMT
