Hand Exercises For Morning Stiffness In Fingers

If you perform repetitive tasks or suffer with chronic arthritis pain, the muscles and tendons that control your hand movements can become stiff and sore. Exercise performed immediately upon awakening can help protect your joints, warm your muscles, release tension and ease the discomfort of morning stiffness, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Performing concentrated, smooth hand movements each morning can help you maintain strong wrists, hands and fingers.

The Clench

For people with arthritis, hand exercises can help strengthen your muscles and increase joint range of motion, notes MayoClinic.com. The hand clench not only improves flexibility issues due to arthritis but also aids in relieving repetitive use problems. While still in bed, stretch your fingers straight and wide apart. Loosely clench your hands to form fists, thumbs on the outside. Slowly and gently extend your fingers as widely spaced as you can. Hold the stretch for a count of six, then relax.

The Ultimate Clench

You can take the hand clench to the next level by adding simple movements. Loosely clench your hands into a fist once again, thumbs on the outside. This time, instead of stretching all of your fingers at once, slowly raise and lower each finger one at a time. Don't be concerned about the inability of your ring finger to rise as high as your other fingers -- that's normal.

Table Stretch

After performing hand stretches in bed, get up and sit at a table. Place your forearm on the table with your wrist and hand hanging over the edge. While keeping your arm on the table, lift your hand and hold the stretch for six seconds. Release and complete five repetitions on each hand. The Ohio State University Medical Center also suggests finger walking and crumpling newspaper to relieve finger stiffness and to enhance grip and dexterity.

Finger Flexor

If your finger joints feel extremely stiff in the morning, use your other hand for assistance.
The finger flexor exercise allows you to stretch the muscles that start at your elbow. The exercise helps maintain tendon strength and also improves grip. Stand upright and bend your left elbow at a 90-degree angle, fingers pointing up toward the ceiling. Extend your wrist as far as possible. Using your right hand, press the fingers on your left hand backward toward your left elbow. Hold for a count of six, then switch hands.