People perform hand exercises to improve flexibility of joints and muscles, maintain occupational dexterity or as treatment for repetitive motion injuries. Hand exercises can relieve the pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, trigger finger/thumb and conditions related to aging, such as arthritis. Instrumental musicians, athletes and computer users perform hand exercises to treat or prevent repetitive motion injuries.
Conditions
Your hand's many bones, muscles, joints and ligaments work together to create a full range of complex hand movements. Doctors often recommend hand exercises to relieve the pain, stiffness and loss of movement resulting from damage or injury to the mechanisms of the hand. Arthritis causes inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis, a form of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome results from the compression of a nerve as it passes through a narrow area in the wrist. Inflammation of the tendons, usually in the wrist, causes tendinitis.
Hand Exercises
Hand exercises involve movements that strengthen the muscles in your hands, improve the range of motion in joints or, in the case of carpal tunnel, relieve compression on the nerve. Exercises instructions might require you to flex your fingers, make shapes with your fingers, bend or open and close your hand and perform other movements that work the parts of your hands.
Repetitions
The number of times you perform a hand exercise during a session, or repetitions, depends on your condition and the level of your pain or discomfort. Performance of hand exercises should not cause pain, according to MayoClinic.com. You might need to perform the exercise once and progress slowly to performing multiple repetitions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends performing the hand grip exercise, which involves gripping and squeezing a soft ball to increase muscle strength, at 10 times with each hand. Your health care team can determine the number of repetitions you should perform based on your needs and the exercise.
Frequency
Health care professionals often recommend frequent performance of hand exercises since the exercises are usually prescribed to treat or prevent progressive conditions. MayoClinic.com recommends that people with arthritis perform hand exercises at least daily or several times a day for optimal improvement. Your physical therapist or your doctor can recommend the proper frequency for you based on your condition and your goals. For instance, you might need to perform hand exercises daily to maintain joint flexibility or you might perform the exercises several times throughout your work day if your occupation causes or contributes to your condition.
References
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Hand Pain and Problems
- University of Nebraska Lincoln: Engineering Electronics Shop -- Musicians and Injuries
- MayoClinic.com: Hand Exercises for People with Arthritis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Growing Stronger -- Strength Training for Older Adults
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