Hand Wrist Exercises to Improve your Hand Mobility

Do you struggle to complete daily tasks due to swelling, stiffness, or pain in the hands or wrists? If so, there are certain exercises you can do to get your hand mobility back. In this article, our experts at Raleigh Orthopaedic suggest some hand exercises that will increase your joints’ range of motion, strengthen the muscles around your joints, build better hand endurance, and improve your hand mobility.  

Listed below are some simple hand and wrist exercises that you can start today! They work best when you do them for about 5-10 seconds, three times a day.

Flexor Tendon Glide

Start with your fingers extended straight out, then hook your fist, and go back to doing a straight hand. Do full fists, return to doing a straight hand, and finally, make a straight fist, then a straight hand. Then repeat the whole motion.

Extension and Flexion of the Wrist

Position your forearm on the table over a rolled-up towel. Your wrist and hand should be hanging off the edge of the table with the palm facing downwards. The next thing to do is move your hand in an upward motion until you feel a very light stretch. Repeat the motion three times.

Ulnar Deviation and Radial Deviation

You can do this by putting your forearm on the table over a rolled towel or you can simply extend your arms forward. Move your hands to the left and right, reaching the full range of motion. This is similar to waving, but much slower.

Wrist Pronation and Supination

Put your arms on your hips with your elbows bent at 90 degrees (your palms should face down), then rotate your forearms. Rotate it in such a way that your palms face up and do the whole movement again.

Thumb Flexion and Extension

Start with extending your thumb up, as if to show the OK sign, then move the thumb towards your palm. Repeat the movement several times.

These hand and wrist exercises should be done slowly and deliberately to prevent further hand injury. If you experience numbness or further pain during or after your hand exercise, STOP! Seek professional help from one of our hand and wrist specialists in Wake County at Raleigh Orthopaedic.

Why Choose Raleigh Orthopaedic?

With over 200 years of combined experience, the physicians and staff at Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic are committed to providing the highest quality musculoskeletal care available in the Triangle and surrounding regions of central North Carolina. Our ultimate mission is to be your provider of choice for orthopaedic surgery/medical care.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.