Exercising the hand and wrist is essential for strengthening the muscles in that area. Properly applied exercises can also prevent the accumulation of problems associated with repetitive stresses of the hand. Thus, a strong and limber hand and wrist can help avoid problems like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.
Passive Wrist Stretches
With straight elbows, rest your arm on a table and let your wrist and hand hang down. For stretching your extensors, gently push the hand farther down until you feel the stretch. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax. Extend your hand up high and repeat five times. For stretching flexors, stay in that position but raise your hand high and then grab it. Gently pull it even higher until you feel the stretch, and hold for 5 seconds. Relax and repeat five times.
Active Wrist Stretches
Rest your arm on a table with your elbows straight, and let your wrist and hand extend off the table in a straight line. This is the starting position. Slowly flex your hand as far down as you can go. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat five times. Next, raise and extend your hand as high as you can go. Hold for 5 seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat five times.
Finger Flexion/Extension
With your hand held in front of you, extend your fingers as far as you can. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Close your fingers into a tight fist. Hold another 5 seconds then relax. Repeat this five times.
Wrist Deviation Exercise
Rest your arm and hand on a table with elbows straight. Do not let your hand hang off the table. Slowly bend your hand from left to right as though you are wiping the table with your palm. At each left or right position, hold it for 5 seconds and then bend to the other side. Repeat so each side has 5 stretches.
Prayer Stretch
Place you palms together as is a prayer position. Keep your elbows up and level. Lower your wrists slowly until you will feel your flexors stretching. Hold the stretched position for 5 seconds. Then relax by elevating your wrists again. Repeat five times.
Supination/Pronation
Keep both elbows next to you body and outstretch your arms in front of you, palms up, as though you are about to receive something in each hand. Further rotate you palm outward until you feel the stretch, and hold for 5 seconds. Then rotate your palms in the other direction until you feel the stretch, and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat five times.
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