If you find your daily chores difficult due to swelling, stiffness or hand pain The right exercises will assist you in getting back in motion.
Therapists typically recommend specific hand exercises based on the specific condition. Certain hand exercises help to increase joint flexibility or loosen muscles and tendons through stretching. Other exercises build muscles surrounding joints to increase power output or to increase endurance.
Below, you’ll find five common exercises to help with wrist and hand pain. If your hand is aching or debilitating it’s recommended to seek out advice about exercise from a physical therapist. Exercises should be completed slow and carefully, to prevent injury and pain.
Effective exercises to strengthen your hands stronger
Warmup
Warm-up prepare your muscle to perform any kind of exercise.
If you experience discomfort or stiffness in your wrists, apply an ice-cold towel or heat pad to the wrist for approximately 15 minutes. This is a literal warm-up and will improve the blood flow and flexibility of the wrist before starting the exercises.
If you don’t feel discomfort or stiffness, just move around for a moment or two. This quick exercise will get the blood flowing and helps your forearms and wrists move freely. There’s no need for a complex workout for your wrists However, it’s recommended to perform a little movement to avoid doing something you shouldn’t and possibly causing injury to your cold muscles.
Take note that if you notice pain or discomfort during the exercise or any exercise takes a break! Be aware of your body and do not push yourself until you feel uncomfortable.
Putty Grip and Squeeze Exercise:
I enjoy using the putty over the ball since you can squeeze it all up into your palm. Balls limit the movement of your hand and let you strengthen within the limits of movement. As you play with the putty you hold in your hand it can improve coordination and dexterity. hands and fingers.
Put the putty into your palm and squeeze it with your palm until your fingers reach the palm of your hand, then release the putty into your palm and then squeeze it again. Set a timer to run for 3-4 mins or do it 20 times.
Palms up to the heavens/Palms towards the floor
This easy exercise will give little stretching to your wrists and shoulders while increasing strength.
- Standing or sitting and seated, you should hold your arms in a T-shape.
- Turn hands around so that the palms face up.
- Turn hands until the palms face down.
- Do it 10 times.
Your movement should be solely within your wrists and not your elbows, arms or shoulders.
Thumb Pinch Strengthening Exercise
Many hand exercises neglect the thumb. If you’re not strong in your thumbs, you won’t be able to open bottles, bags, or lids.
With the putty, make the shape of a hot dog around 1-2 inches thick. Utilizing your index finger and thumb, squeeze along the putty, creating small indentures across the length of putty.
Repeat this process 10-20 times. Alternate the kind of pinching by placing the thumb over it and pressing your index finger towards it. Repeat this process 10-20 times. Test different pinches using your thumb, for a total of 3 to 5 minutes.
Rotation
It is possible to do this using no weights, lightweight resistance bands or dumbbells that weigh 1-5 pounds. Begin with no weights and then add weight only when you don’t feel any discomfort.
- Relax your arms to 90 degrees, and your forearms spread towards the front with your palms down.
- You can hold a small dumbbell or resistance band, or just pretend to be holding something.
- Then slowly rotate your hands until your palms face upwards.
- Then slowly turn your palms back towards the original position.
- Ten times repeat.
Isometric Hooks Exercises
It is a non-equipment exercise. Isometric exercises are when you contract muscles with no movement; with the most intense voluntary contraction.
To do this, put your fingers into an open fist. Then, connect, or hook the fingers to your chest. You should keep your one hand palm up while another palm is facing down.
After your fingers are secured together Use your hands to push your fingers outward while keeping your grasping hands. Hold this hand posture for five seconds and then release. Repeat 10-20 times using the hands-on top. Do this with the right hand first then do it with the left hand and revise the process. This exercise is very good for upper body extremities and fingers too.
Squeeze
You can squeeze almost everything in this. You can do it with a towel too.
When sitting or standing in a chair, keep your ball (or any other squeezable item of your preference) by putting your hand upwards.
- Try to squeeze your squeezy as forcefully as you are able to for three minutes.
- Release your grip slowly.
- Repeat 10 times, and then change sides.
Rubber Band Abduction Exercise
The rubber band should be placed over the four fingers. Make sure not to include the thumb. Spread your fingers to the maximum extent possible and hold for 5 seconds, then release them. Do this 10-20 times.
This exercise is ideal for strengthening the hand intrinsically since it targets the hand muscles which sit between the fingers.
The muscle in the area of your index finger swells up. It is also possible to test this using the putty making a loop with your fingers.
If you want to advance your hand strengthening training process then work with a good hand grip strengthener too.
