A broken hand is really a fracture of one of the bones in your hand or fingers, and may be extended to mean your wrist in some cases. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends you attend physical therapy after your cast has been removed, as a way of regaining your strength and range of motion once your broken hand has healed. Be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any type of hand exercises. South Texas-based TheMonitor.com explains that some types of hand-strengthening exercises can actually exacerbate some kinds of medical conditions, especially in people with a history of inflammatory disease.
Gripping
Gripping exercises strengthen the muscles that likely have weakened while your hand was immobilized in a cast. Your physical therapist or physician will tell you what type of gripping accessory to use; options include a reusable putty similar to modeling clay, spring-loaded gadgets that resemble a stapler and provide resistance as you repeat a gripping motion, and rubber balls available in a range of resistance strengths. Squeeze your chosen gripping paraphernalia and release, aiming for sets of 10 repetitions. Your care provider will be more specific about how many sets you should complete each day, depending on how your hand is healing.
Finger Flexion and Extension
Finger flexion and extension improves your range of motion after a fracture of the phalanges or metacarpals--the bones of your fingers. Using your "good" hand, manually bend and then straighten each finger of your healing hand individually. The Ohio State University Medical Center reminds patients recovering from a broken hand to work slowly, and to stop if you experience pain while performing finger exercises. As you grow stronger, you will most likely be able to increase the number of repetitions you perform on each finger.
Thumb Abduction
A thumb abduction stretches and exercises your thumb and index finger, as well as the surrounding muscles, of both hands. Place the thumb and index finger of your healthy hand, held about an inch apart from each other, between the thumb and index finger of your broken hand. Increase the space between the two fingers of your healthy hand, to stretch your ailing hand. Hold for several seconds until you feel a stretch, but stop immediately if you feel twinges of pain. The Ohio State University Medical Center explains that range of motion exercises of this kind can help to improve the blood flow to a hand that has been broken, as well as helping you to regain the full use of your hand.
Wrist Flexion and Extension
Your physical therapist or doctor may prescribe wrist exercises, especially if your entire hand has been restricted to a cast for some time. Interlock your fingers together so that your healthy hand has a firm grip on your affected hand. Slowly bend your wrist forward, then back to a straightened or neutral position. Then, bend your wrist backward and back to straight.
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