Strong hands are important for athletes in sports that require strength and dexterity. Flexibility can also help prevent injuries from physical activity as well as other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. Exercising your hands regularly is an effective way to keep them strong and in shape.
Five Finger Exercise
For the five finger exercise, you want to place your hand on a table palm side down. Relax your hand and then slowly lift all of your fingers while keeping your wrist on the table. Then relax and lower your fingers down again. Slowly lift each finger one at a time as high as possible while keeping the heel of your palm on the table. Relax and then repeat the exercise.
Coordinating Finger Movements
For coordinating finger movements, you want to place your hand on the table, palm down. Slowly lift up your hand and touch the tip of your pinkie finger with your thumb while keeping your wrist on the table. Then, move your thumb to your ring finger, then to your middle finger, and finally to your index finger. Remember to keep your arm and wrist flat on the table through the cycle. Repeat the exercise backwards starting with your index finger and ending with your pinkie finger.
Thumb Exercise
The thumb exercise is pretty simple but will help stretch and strengthen the muscles in your hand. Hold your hand out in front of you and touch your thumb to each finger one at a time at the lowest points as possible. After touching each finger, hold your thumb out in a "hitch hiking" type position and stretch it out and back as far as you can, comfortably. Relax your hand and repeat the exercise again on both hands.
Finger Flexion and Extension
Finger flexion and extension is another simple exercise. Simply hold your hand out in front of you and extend all five of your fingers out as far as possible. Hold this position for five seconds and then make a tight fist with your thumb on the outside. Hold this position for five seconds. Relax the hand and then repeat the exercise several times with each hand.
