Hand, Wrist And Forearm Exercises

According to the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health Affairs, workplace musculoskeletal disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome account for over a third of all lost workdays due to injury or illness annually. That's over 600,000 injuries and $20 billion in worker's compensation costs alone each year. A few simple exercises that you can do at home or in the office may help prevent many of the most common workplace injuries.

Hand Exercises

To help keep your hands in shape, begin with your fingers. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports recommends finger stretching to help maintain dexterity in your hands. Beginning with the right hand, hold your arm straight out in front of you with your palm facing down. Using your left hand, gently pull your fingers back toward your forearm. Next, place your left hand on top of your right and push your fingers toward the floor, then switch and do your left hand. Do five repetitions with each hand.

The U.S. Government's Division of Occupational Health and Safety, or DOHS, suggests daily hand and finger massages for optimal hand health. Use your thumb and fingers to gently massage the inside and outside of your hand. When massaging each finger, making sure to gently work toward the nail. Don't forget to massage the space in between your fingers as well.

Wrist Exercises

To keep your wrists in shape, the Ohio State University Medical Center recommends resting your forearm firmly on a tabletop and hanging your hand over the edge of the table. Bend your wrist up, then down as far as possible. Then, keeping your forearm firmly on the table, rotate your hand clockwise and then counterclockwise. Do each exercise five times with both wrists.

According to the DOHS, the wrist stretch is another exercise you can do to help maintain wrist strength and preserve your range of motion. To perform a wrist stretch, hold your arm straight out in front of you with your palm down and pull your hand back toward you with your other hand. Bend at the wrist and hold for 20 seconds. Next, pull downward and hold for another 20 seconds. Repeat each exercise three times with both wrists.

Forearm Exercises

To keep your forearms in shape, according to Ohio State University Medical Center, while standing, hold your arm at your side with your elbow bent and your palm facing the ceiling. Keeping your elbow against your side, rotate your hand so that your palm is facing the floor. Repeat the exercise five times with each arm.