5 Hand Exercises to Ease Osteoarthritis Pain

Feb 14, 2023

The process of osteoarthritis is complex. It has an impact on your joints’ connective tissue, soft tissue, bone, and cartilage. O osteoarthritis causes the articular cartilage to wear down, in a joint. Cartilage is the cushioning material between bones. This deterioration may result in swelling and irritation of the synovial lining, which creates the synovial fluid that helps lubricate and protect the joint. The following symptoms can occur when osteoarthritis affects the joints in your hands or fingers:

– Pain
– Stiffness
– Weakness
– Joint deformity

Every time you use your hand for repetitive motions, the pain may worsen. For instance, using a computer keyboard or holding culinary utensils can be uncomfortable. Additionally, your hand strength could deteriorate. Having this disability can make simple tasks, like opening jars, challenging.

Therefore, hand exercises are utilized as an intervention to enhance hand strength and mobility while also enhancing functional capacity. Various hand exercises include

– Mobilizing activity (Increase or maintain range of motion)
– Strengthing exercise (that uses resistance from putty, a gel ball, or elastic band to strengthen hand and wrist muscles)
– Stretching exercise (to increase muscles flexibility of fingers and wrist)

Numerous conditions that might affect the hand require exercise as an intervention to help patients to perform their ADL activities independently and increase the strength of handgrip.

Finger Flexion

How To Do It: Take a stress ball; if you can’t find one, a tennis ball will do, but keep in mind that it will be more difficult. Squeeze the ball as hard as you can, without causing pain, and repeat this action several times until your hand feels tired.

Purpose: If you’re living with arthritis in your hands sometimes the most basic of functions, like opening a door, or a jar, can seem impossible. Your hand muscles will become stronger as a result of this workout, which should eventually improve your ability to grip objects.

Wrist Flexion

How To Do It: Locate a weight that is simple to handle, then extend your hand and wrist over the edge of a flat surface. Raise your wrist as nearly at a 45-degree angle as you can without hurting yourself, then slowly lower it and repeat.

Purpose: The muscles in the back of your hand and the top of your arm should feel slightly tighter. You may strengthen this muscle to better support your wrist joint by making it function.

Wrist Extensions

How To Do It: Simply flip your arm and hand so the weight is now pointing down (rather than up) right below the surface you’re using. Use the same weight and surface as the prior exercise.

Purpose: The weight stimulates the wrist muscles to get stronger so they can support the wrist more effectively. Additionally, you’re urging the joint to move despite opposition, which might help to guarantee a wider range of motion.

Full Grip

How To Do It: Squeeze the ball as hard as you can with your right hand for a few seconds. Let go of the ball. Repeat this exercise 15 times and then use your left hand to complete the exercise.

Purpose: Once you begin routinely completing hand grip exercises, your hands will become stronger. Increased pain tolerance and resistance. It not only benefits your fingers but also the muscles in your wrists and forearms.

Roll Back and Forth

How To Do It: Use a small ball for this workout, such as a stress ball or tennis ball. Put the ball down on a table or another flat surface. Roll the ball with your right hand, extending each digit by rolling it from your palm to the tips of your fingers. Return the ball to its starting place by rolling it. Do this exercise once again using your left hand.

Purpose: You can more easily get into a front rack position by performing wrist rotations and movements to soften up the mid/upper back. By prepping the muscles, tendons, and ligaments for movement with wrist rotations, we can also lessen the chance of wrist injury.

Try the following exercise for at least two to three weeks, and if you don’t feel any better, consult a professional who can advise you on the best course of action.