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Simple Hand Stretches and...

Simple Hand Stretches and Exercises for Pain Relief

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If you are experiencing pain in your hands while doing simple tasks like holding a cup or turning a doorknob, know you are not alone.

Hand and wrist pain is a common issue that can affect people of all ages, but it becomes more prevalent as we age. The good news is that simple exercises and hand stretches can make a significant difference. These techniques can alleviate pain, improve hand and wrist function, and prevent injuries.

In the following sections, we’ll explore effective hand stretches and techniques that enhance strength, flexibility, and coordination, making everyday activities easier and less painful.

I’ll walk you through some primary hand and wrist exercises and stretches that I often prescribe to my patients that you can easily do at home to manage your symptoms.

Whether you have arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or another hand condition, these exercises can help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Common Hand Conditions in Older Adults

Senior man, hands and wrist joint pain in living room home from carpal tunnel, osteoporosis and art

It’s common to develop various hand conditions that can cause discomfort and limit our ability to perform daily activities as we age.

Conditions I often see in my physical therapy clinic range from arthritis to trigger finger to carpal tunnel syndrome. While these conditions can be frustrating, there are ways to manage and even improve them with the help of a physical therapist.

Arthritis

Arthritis causes joint inflammation, leading to pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Hand exercises can help muscles support the joints, alleviate arthritis symptoms, and improve function by improving grip strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome develops due to the median nerve compression in the wrist carpal tunnel, causing numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand.

Targeted exercises and “nerve glides” can reduce pressure on the median nerve to improve sensation and strength.

Dupuytren’s Contracture

Dupuytren’s contracture is a hand condition that affects the connective tissues in the palm. It thickens and tightens the fascia, resulting in the fingers curling towards the palm.

Stretching for increased flexibility and range of motion and wearing a splint or brace may reduce the severity of Dupuytren’s contracture.

Trigger Finger

Stenosing tenosynovitis, or “trigger finger,” is caused by inflammation or thickening of the sheath surrounding the finger’s tendon.

It causes one or more fingers to become continuously bent, often resulting in a snapping or popping sensation when the finger is straightened. The best thing you can do for this is gentle stretching to improve the range of motion in the joints of the finger and hand.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis is when the tendons in the hand become inflamed or irritated, causing pain and discomfort. To resolve these symptoms, it is important to avoid activities that exacerbate the condition and to rest the hand as much as possible.

Once the inflammation reduces, light exercises that focus on gentle stretching and strengthening can also be helpful.

Benefits of Hand Exercises & Stretches for Seniors

Happy senior man doing hand stretches and exercises with a grip strengthener at the park

There are numerous benefits to giving some care and attention to your hands.

Targeted stretching and strengthing exercises to help with range of motion and dexterity can make an enormous difference in how your hands work and feel.

The Benefits of Stretching

Stretching your hands and wrists can help improve flexibility, range of motion, and blood circulation.

You can improve tissue flexibility in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments by performing active and passive range-of-motion stretching exercises.

In addition to the structures around the joints, you can also work to increase the mobility of the tissues surrounding the joint (called joint capsules).

The Benefits of Strengthening

Hand exercises can also help improve hand strength, making it easier to grip and hold objects. These exercises relieve pain, prevent injuries, and improve function.

Over thirty muscles in the hand work together to move. Weakness or pain in any of these muscles may impact your function. These small muscles require equally small exercises for adequate and appropriate strengthening.

A combination of resistance training and endurance exercises for these muscles is the recipe for success.

Hand and finger exercises can also increase your agility and coordination. These movement characteristics are essential for performing tasks that require fine motor skills.

Examples of fine motor movements include picking up medications, buttoning up a shirt, and picking out coins from your wallet.

Injury Prevention Benefits

Increasing hand strength and flexibility reduces the risk of injuries like sprains and strains. The stronger and more flexible the muscles in your hand and wrist, the better they can support your underlying bones, joints, and soft tissues.

Think about your muscles like a rubber band. A strong and flexible rubber band can stretch without breaking, but weak and inflexible ones will snap easily. Your muscles and joints work together to support your body’s movements.

When your muscles are strong and flexible, they can better absorb the impact of physical activity, reducing the strain on your joints and decreasing your risk of injury.

Hand Stretches

Before you try these exercises to help with hand or wrist pain, it is best to do a simple warmup.

Simply make a gentle fist and open your hand 10-15 times, then gently bend and extend each finger 5-10 times to get some movement into the tissues. As long you don’t feel any pain, continue with the following exercises:

Finger Extension Stretch

This exercise stretches the tissues on the underside of your palm and wrist while strengthening the muscles that lift your fingers.

Place your hand flat with your palm on a table, then slowly lift each finger off the table one at a time, holding each for a few seconds before lowering it back down.
You can assist the stretch using your other hand on each finger, but be gentle. Keep all other fingers and your palm flat on the table when lifting an individual finger.
Repeat on each finger 10-15 times, then switch hands.

Wrist Flexion Stretch

This exercise stretches the finger and wrist extensors—the same muscles that were used to lift the fingers in the previous exercise:

Hold your arm out in front of you with your palm facing down, then use your other hand to pull your fingers gently and palm towards your wrist until you feel a stretch on the back of your hand and wrist.
Keep your arm extended (elbow straight) to stretch your forearm muscles.
Hold this for 15-30 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.

Thumb Extension Stretch

Our thumb is one of the most important joints in our bodies, and it is primarily used to grip or squeeze. This exercise gives our hard-working thumb a much-needed stretch:

Hold your hand out in front of you, palm facing down. You can rest your hand on a table for extra support.
Use your other hand to gently pull your thumb along the table’s surface towards your wrist until you feel a stretch.
Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat up to 10 times.

Hand Strength Exercises

Hand Grip

Over time, grip strength can begin to weaken, particularly if you have arthritis or other conditions in your hands. This can lead to trouble holding objects or dropping things. This simple exercise can help to keep your grip strong:

Keeping your forearm supported on a table, hold a small, squishy ball, putty, or rolled-up towel lightly in your palm.
Squeeze for 10-15 seconds, then release and repeat for up to 20-25 repetitions.

The great thing about this exercise is how much you can do with it. You can vary the position of your hand (palm up, palm down, palm to the side), the arm support (forearm supported on a table or unsupported), and the firmness of the object (foam ball to lacrosse ball) to change the difficulty of the exercise.

You can also purchase a grip strengthener—a device widely available in various sizes and resistance levels online.

Finger Spread

Being able to spread your fingers wide is as essential as making a fist. This exercise can help improve this range of motion.

Place your hand palm down on a flat surface, then slowly spread your fingers as far apart as possible.
Hold for a few seconds, then bring the fingers together to touch.
Repeat for several repetitions. To increase the resistance, wrap a rubber band around the fingers you are moving.

Finger-to-Thumb Touch

This exercise is more focused on hand coordination and dexterity to keep your hands and fingers healthy:

Touch the tip of each finger to the tip of your thumb, starting with your index finger and moving to your pinky finger.
Then, move from your pinky finger back through each finger to the index finger again. This is one of my favorite exercises for building coordination with my patients.
For an extra challenge, you can vary the speed at which you perform the task, close your eyes, or make multiple touches with each finger.

Always listen to your body and stop any exercises that cause pain or intense discomfort.

Key Takeaways

Experiencing pain in your hands during simple tasks like holding a cup or turning a doorknob is common, especially as you age.
Hand and wrist pain becomes more prevalent with age due to decreased strength and flexibility, making everyday activities difficult.
Simple exercises and hand stretches can help alleviate hand and wrist pain and improve function.
These exercises and hand stretches enhance hand strength, flexibility, range of motion, agility, and coordination, reducing the risk of injuries.
Hand exercises can relieve pain from conditions like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger, and tendinitis.
For arthritis, hand stretches and exercises improve grip strength, flexibility, and range of motion, helping support the joints and alleviate symptoms.
For carpal tunnel syndrome, targeted exercises and nerve glides can reduce pressure on the median nerve, improving sensation and strength.
For Dupuytren’s contracture, stretching and wearing a splint or brace can reduce severity and improve range of motion.
For trigger finger, gentle stretching can improve the range of motion and alleviate the snapping or popping sensation.
For tendinitis, avoiding aggravating activities and resting the hand, followed by gentle exercises, can help resolve symptoms.
Hand exercises and stretches provide numerous benefits, including improved flexibility, range of motion, and blood circulation.
Strengthening exercises enhance hand strength, making it easier to grip and hold objects, relieving pain, and preventing injuries.
Hand and finger exercises increase agility and coordination, essential for fine motor skills needed in daily tasks.
Increasing hand strength and flexibility reduces the risk of injuries by better supporting underlying bones, joints, and soft tissues.
Stretching and strength exercises are crucial for maintaining the functionality of hand muscles and preventing injuries.

FAQs

How quickly can one expect improvements from hand stretches?

Improvement time varies with the individual and the severity of the condition. Some notice changes within weeks, while others need months. Monitoring progress and consulting with a professional is crucial.

What lifestyle habits contribute to hand conditions?

Repetitive motions, use of vibrating tools, and injuries can lead to conditions. Regular breaks, proper ergonomics, and protective gear are preventive measures.

Are there dietary impacts on hand conditions?

Anti-inflammatory foods can reduce symptoms, while excessive salt, sugars, and processed foods might increase inflammation. Hydration also benefits joint health.

How often should one see a physical therapist for hand conditions?

Initial weekly or bi-weekly visits might decrease as conditions improve. Periodic check-ins every few months may be advisable for chronic cases

What medications complement these exercises for symptom management?

Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used short-term. For severe conditions, stronger medications or corticosteroid injections might be prescribed. Always use it under a doctor’s guidance.

Resources:

Williams, M. A., Srikesavan, C., Heine, P. J., Bruce, J., Brosseau, L., Hoxey-Thomas, N., & Lamb, S. E. (2018). Exercise for rheumatoid arthritis of the hand. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 7(7), CD003832. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003832.pub3 1
Ünver, S., & Akyolcu, N. (2018). The Effect of Hand Exercise on Reducing the Symptoms in Hemodialysis Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Asian journal of neurosurgery, 13(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.4103/ajns.AJNS_343_16
Labott, B. K., Bucht, H., Morat, M., Morat, T., & Donath, L. (2019). Effects of Exercise Training on Handgrip Strength in Older Adults: A Meta-Analytical Review. doi: 10.1159/000501203 2
Menta, R., Randhawa, K., Côté, P., Wong, J., Yu, H., Sutton, D., Varatharajan, S., Southerst, D., D’Angelo, K., Cox, J., Brown, C., Dion, S., Mior, S., Stupar, M., Shearer, H., Lindsay, G., Jacobs, C., Taylor-Vaisey, A. (2015). The Effectiveness of Exercise for the Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Injuries of the Elbow, Forearm, Wrist, and Hand: A Systematic Review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 38(7), 507-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2015.06.002