Exercises that strengthen the flexor muscles of your hands and forearms also strengthen the tendons of those muscles. Bending your wrists and fingers toward you in a palms-up position are flexion movements.
The American College of Sports Medicine advises physical training, based on occupational analysis of the most demanding and high occurrence job tasks can, help prevent "cumulative trauma disorders" such as carpal tunnel syndrome. As an added bonus, job related physical training exercises can increase job performance by overcoming physical limitations.
Dumbbell Wrist Flexion
This exercise focuses on the flexor muscles and tendons that bend your wrists, palms up, towards you.
Grab a 3-lb. dumbbell in your right hand. Sit on a bench, palms up, your right forearm resting on your right thigh. Hold the dumbbell in a neutral or straight position, your wrist at the edge of your right knee. Bend the dumbbell toward you as far as possible, holding for three seconds.
Wrist Roller
Using this device, you can work not only your hand flexors, but your hand extensors too. This tool is composed of a straight bar with a rope suspended from the center of the bar. At the end of the rope, you can anchor a weight plate.
Attach a 2.5-lb. plate to the rope, standing on a bench at least eight inches high. Grab each side of the bar, extending your arms in front of you parallel to the floor. Roll the bar inward, fingers rotating toward you. Once the plate reaches the top, let the rope unravel to the floor.
Power Webs
A power web is a rubber disc with perpendicular bands of varying resistance running across its diameter. You can work both hands at the same time or one hand at a time.
Hold the ring between both hands using your left hand as a stabilizer. Work the flexor muscles of your right hand by grabbing at the perpendicular bands with your fingers. Anchor your right thumb on the outer surface to work just your fingers. Alternatively, interlace all the digits of your right hand in the center of the web, squeezing them together.
Hand Grips
There are many small devices available to work the hand flexor muscles and tendons. These devices come in varying tensions of soft and super-soft, medium to extra-heavy and 10-lb. to 60-lb. resistance. The basic premise of these devices is to squeeze the contraption, bringing your thumb and fingers together.
Start with the original, medium tension hand grip (two handles with a hard, closed metal coil, somewhat in the shape of a 'V'). Hold the grip in your palm, fingers around the distal handle, thumb around the handle closest to you. Squeeze and hold for three seconds then release. Repeat for 10 total repetitions per set. Complete one set then switch hands.
References
- "American College of Sports Medicine"; Current Comment
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997.
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