Hi Chris!
If the wrist pain is so bad that you are having trouble picking up weights, then you really need to stop lifting(whether its light or heavy)and let the inflammation get out of the wrist. You should avoid doing anything that puts demands on your wrist for about three days. During this time you can take anti-inflammatories to help reduce pain and possible swelling and also ice the painfull area about three times a day for 20 minute sessions.
After three days, go much lighter with your weights and also start doing wrist and forearm stretch and strengthening exercises(but if the pain comes back immediately with the light weight, stop and take three more days off. Continue in this manner for up to 10 days. After 10 days, if pain persists, go see a doctor.)
Wrist exercises: Grab a light dumbell of say 3 pounds. Hold your arm at a 90 degree angle with your palm up and do wrist curls. Switch and do other arm. Then flip the palm to face down and repeat the wrist curls in each arm. Then put the weight into the hand with the palm facing up again. Now instead of doing wrist curls, do wrist rotations(starting with palm up rotate the weight to a palm down position. Continue to rotate back and forth). For all of the above exercises, do three sets of 12 reps.
Forearm exercises: Get a hand grip and squeeze it for 2 sets of 12 per hand. You can also squeeze a rubber ball in your hand for the same amount of reps and sets.
To stretch the wrist and forearm, you can extend one arm in front of you and turn your palm up. With the other hand pull back gently on your fingers as a whole. Do the same exercise with your palm facing down.
Stay with this program and build back up to your heavier weight (yet always do your wrist/forearm exercises). If the wrist seems to always act up when you get to heavier weight, you may need to consider staying with weights that don't aggrivate your wrist.
Hope you feel better.
