Wrist and hand muscle stretching exercises

What are wrist and hand muscle stretching exercises?

• Wrist, as well as hand stretching exercises, is the best & easy to perform home exercise the patient may try in the early morning to increase the mobility of the wrist and hand.
• Wrist pain is annoying & inconvenient, which makes work or daily chores, namely working on the computer or even cooking, more difficult. Regular exercises may increase mobility & lower the chance of injury or re-injury. Wrist joint stretches are easy to do anywhere. If the patient does it properly, it can be an advantage for the person’s whole wrist & hand health.

Importance of wrist and hand stretching

• Wrist exercises increase flexibility & help reduce the risk of injury. Stretches are suggested as a preventive measure or to relieve mild pain. However, it is not used in people who have inflammation or even serious joint damage unless suggested by the healthcare professional in those cases, exercise causes more damage to the wrist or hands.
• Stretching increases the blood flow into the hands, which gives comfort to the muscles & ligaments as well as supplies them with the oxygen & nutrients they require to keep working.
• This also assists in lower the possibility of damage by gradually lengthening muscles.
• Hand exercises may assist to relieve the stiffness & pain associated with arthritis, and increase joint mobility as well as a range of motion (ROM).

What is the stretching exercise for the wrist & hand?

There are some stretching exercises for the wrist as well as hand below:

• Raised fist stretch
• Wrist rotations
• Prayer position
• Finger stretch
• Fist opener
• Sponge squeeze
• Windshield wiper wrist movement
• Thumb pull
• Alternate finger stretch
• Clenched fist.

Raised fist stretch

• To do the stretching:
• Start with the arms up & side to the head, while the hand is open.
• Make the fist of the fingers without involving the thumb (the thumb is outside of the fist).
• Glide the fingers toward the wrist. When the patient feels the stretch stop there & hold for 3-5 seconds. And repeat 2-3 times.

Wrist rotations stretch

• To do the stretching:
• Stretch one arm around 90-degrees flexion in front of you. The elbow is extended & palm facing towards the roof.
• Slowly, move the fingers downward until the patient notices the stretch. Then use the other hand to slowly pull the raised hand downward &inward toward the body as well as hold that position for 3-5 seconds.
• Then move the fingers toward the roof until you notice a stretch. Now use the other hand to slowly pull the raised hand toward the body & hold that position for 3-5 seconds.
• Repeat the exercise 3 times.

Prayer position

• To do the stretching:
• Take the standing position, place both palms together in the praying position as well as the elbows touch each other. The palms should be in front of the face. The arms should be touching each other from the fingers to the elbows.
• Now pressing the palms together, slowly move the elbows apart. Perform this while slowly lowering the hands at the height of the waist. Then stop the motion when the hands are in front of the umbilicus or you sense the stretch. Now hold this position for 10-30 seconds and repeat it 3 times.

Finger stretch

• To do the stretching:
• Take the position either sitting or standing. Bring the ring & pinky finger together.
• Now start the separation of the middle as well as index fingers from the ring finger. If the patient feels stretched then hold that position for 2-3 seconds & repeat this motion 10 times.
• Now do on other hand.

Fist opener

• To do the stretching:
• Take the standing or even sitting position. Extend the arm in front of you in the flexion position.
• Then make the fist & hold that in front of you.
• Now open the fist & stretch every finger together until the hand is open & flat.
• Repeat this movement 10 times.

Sponge-squeeze

• To do this stretching exercise:
• To do the motion you need a sponge or even a stress ball.
• Squeeze this ball by making a fist.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds until the patient feels stretched & relaxed.
• Do this again & repeat the exercise 10 times.

Windshield wiper wrist movement

• To do this stretching exercise:
• Take the standing position facing towards a wall. Hold the resistance band in both hands (one end in one hand & the other in another hand).
• Put both arms on the wall. One hand is stable on the wall while another one is moving away from the body. Stretch the wrist as much as you do it without moving the elbow.
• Hold this position for 3-5 seconds. Do the same on the other hand. Repeat the movement 3 times.

Thumb pull

• To do this stretching exercise:
• Grasp the left thumb with the right hand. Then slowly pull the thumb back, away from the left hand.
• When the patient feels stretched then stop there & hold this position for 25 seconds.
• Repeat this exercise on the right thumb.

Alternate finger stretch

• To do this stretching exercise:
• To perform the motion, bring the ring & middle finger together.
• While separating the index as well as pinky fingers from the ring & middle fingers.
• Repeat this stretching 10 times in one session. Do three sessions per day.

Clenched fists

• To do this stretching exercise:
• Take the sitting position & place the forearms on the thighs with palms facing upward.
• Close the hands to make the fist, and avoid tight clenching.
• Now raise the fists towards the body, bending the wrists while the forearms touch the legs.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds & lower the fists, and open the fingers. Repeat this 10 times.

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