Exercising your hands, fingers and thumbs helps you maintain the dexterity required for everyday activities. Arthritis sufferers will also find that exercise can help relieve stiffness and pain and restore range of motion to the hand and fingers. Such exercises can also play a role in the recovery of movement after a hand or finger injury. Follow your doctor's recommendations about exercise for any specific conditions.
Make a Fist
MayoClinic.com recommends the following hand exercise for people with arthritis: With your fingers flat and spread, gently form them into a loose fist, keeping your thumb outside your fingers. Return your fingers to the starting position in a slow, smooth motion and repeat the exercise. You can perform this exercise with both hands simultaneously.
Finger Exercise
HolisticOnline.com recommends that you perform the following finger flexibility exercise at a table to support your forearms: Bend the joint closest to the fingertip, then bend the middle joint. When your finger touches or is as close as possible to your palm, bend your knuckle joint. Straighten your fingers by performing the movements in reverse. Make it your goal to touch the tip of each finger to your palm and to be able to straighten each finger completely.
Thumb Opposition
The following thumb exercise is recommended by PhysioAdvisor.com: Touch your thumb to each finger, beginning with the index finger and ending with the little finger. Don't worry if your thumb can't reach a finger; move it as close as you possibly can. Repeat the exercise for each finger 10 times.
Door Opener
This exercise recommended by HolisticOnline.com stretches forearm muscles and ligaments used for such movements as turning a door knob: Rest your forearm on a table with your palm down. Turn your hand so your palm faces upward, all the while keeping your little finger on the table. You can use your other hand to assist the movement, but make sure to grasp your forearm rather than your wrist or hand.
Finger Extension
The following finger exercise is recommended by PhysioAdvisor.com: Rest your right hand with your palm down on a table. Lift the right fingers up, one at a time, using your left hand fingers to move each finger a little farther by applying gentle pressure. Move each finger back to the point where you feel a mild tension but no pain. Repeat the extension 10 times for each finger, then perform the same exercise on the other hand.
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