Finger strength exercises nhs. The following exercises are designed to help keep the joints in your thumb and fingers from getting stiff and to improve the strength in your muscles. If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to your therapist. You will require your own resistance bands to complete this video. The fingers are essential for grasping, manipulating objects, and performing fine motor tasks. Sep 17, 2019 · Follow along with these top 5 hand strengthening exercises for stronger hands. What are the fingers? The human finger is a flexible, long and thin extension of the hand commonly referred to as the digits. Bend and straighten the end of your finger as far as you can. Hold each one for ___ seconds and repeat ___ times. Dec 31, 2024 · Fingers are classified as digits, with four fingers on each hand alongside an opposable thumb. Build grip, hand dexterity, and reduce painful hand injuries. When completing them, you may feel tightness or a pulling sensation. You should feel effort during the process and on stopping the exercises you should feel that the area is a little tired from being worked hard. This can be due to lack of appropriate opportunities to develop the muscles of the hands through play or sometimes as a result of having In humans, the fingers are flexibly articulated and opposable, serving as an important organ of tactile sensation and fine movements, which are crucial to the dexterity of the hands and the ability to grasp and manipulate objects. Isometric flexion Push wrist upwards against resistance without changing the angle of your wrist. PIP Joint Blocking Begin with the palm up, supporting your involved hand with your other hand just below the second joint. Wrist strengthening exercises Information for patients, relatives and carers These exercises will help you restore strength and improve movement of your wrist. However, the thumb and big toe are unique—they only have two phalanges, missing the middle one. FINGER. . Learn how to do these with our video tutorials Finger exercises This leaflet shows exercises to help you strengthen your fingers. Hand Therapy Patient Information The exercises on this sheet are designed to keep your joints supple, help the structures glide freely and strengthen your wrist. Feb 6, 2024 · Each finger comprises three small bones called phalanges, which give the finger its shape and strength. Hold each position for 3-5 seconds. Muscle strengthening for hand, thumb & elbow pain Aim: To strengthen the muscles of the forearm that control grip strength of the hand and consequently reduce hand pain and improve function The exercise: You will need something soft and compressible such as a rolled-up sock or ball of wool or ‘stress’ ball 1. Activities should be fun and not meant as “exercises”. TOY IDEAS Lego, stickle bricks, blocks etc – the pulling apart and pushing together of pieces is good for working on strength When a finger is injured sometimes soft tissue (tendons, ligaments and muscle) can also be involved and can make recovery slower. Pinch off small pieces using thumb, index and middle fingers and roll them into small balls Hide items in the play doh (beads etc) try to find them by pulling the doh apart. 2 days ago · Explore the essential anatomy and function of finger joints, vital for your hand’s precision and everyday movement. }ùxI‘ BOÍÆ7¥)Ê• ó¯ŸÙ 1€ÜÒ ‘â Æ ¨ T‹ Ï Ã7ÏìCÉáþí ¥×L-ʲ3wäš c»lØ ”¡‹Ç ’7 Òeq"³Èæ § ¸êè>ä 1ßsJ_ÄÉX·* #iêÞiëâÚ ž#c¹nó›…_“ʈhÆ_þøÇÈ . If they cannot resolve your concern, please contact our Patient Experience Team on 01932 723553 or email asp-tr. They help to straighten fingers. Thumb exercises This factsheet contains some thumb exercises to help improve the range of movement in the joints of your thumb. Rheumatology Occupational Therapy: Therapeutic putty hand exercises Therapeutic putty exercises are designed to help improve the strength in your hands, wrists and thumbs. The following exercises will help to reduce stiffness and increase finger movement. There are 2 types of tendon in your hand. Please begin the following exercises as instructed by your hand therapy physiotherapist. Find out how to do these strength exercises, which you can do at home to help improve your health and mobility. Number of times to repeat: Number of times to perform each day: For more specific exercises you might try the exercises below. If the pain continues, stop the exercises and discuss this with your therapist at your next The intrinsic muscles are the muscles that sit within your hand and are important to improve the co-ordination and grip strength in your hand. Your therapist will provide you with the most suitable strength of putty for your post-injury/surgery protocol. ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE GRIP STRENGTH/GRASP AND DEXTERITY The following are some activity ideas for you to practice with your child to help develop fine motor skills. Forearm and hand flat on a table, move your hand sideways: Ulnar (“on the little finger side”) and radial (“on the thumb side”) deviation. The benefits of exercise are plentiful. With a table or chair next to you for support, lean forward so that one arm hangs straight down. You can divide the exercises up. Slowly swing your free arm backwards and forwards and gradually increase the length of the swing. The activities will aim to help refine their pincer/tripod grasp as well as improving general dexterity. Some of these exercises can be done with the hand immersed under water of a comfortable temperature to aid relaxation. Hand strength influences fine motor skills, in particular, pencil grasp and handwriting, cutting with scissors and self-care tasks such as dressing, eating with a knife and fork as well as drinking from a cup. Exercises should be carried out ___ times, ___ time/s a day Hand Therapy Department Contact Number 0203 315 8404 Open between 8-6 Monday-Friday. Isometric pronation Place two fingers on your wrist, rotate your wrist inwards, resisting against your fingers. They do not all Jul 14, 2025 · Bend the index finger inwards at each joint so that the fingertip move towards the palm. 2. Over the period of Hand Therapy Patient Information The exercises on this sheet are designed to keep your joints supple, help the structures glide freely and strengthen the thumb. These names help when talking, counting, or showing actions. They help the fingers to bend. Wrist stability and strengthening exercises Completing this exercise programme will help you to restore strength in your wrist and help improve your overall hand function. Please begin the following exercises as instructed by your therapist: Regaining muscle strength needs regular commitment to the resistance exercises as directed by your therapist. Repeat this exercise for each finger. If you follow this programme, it will help you to maintain your range of movement, grip and strength. Finger Exercises Information for patients NHS Lanarkshire Hand Therapy Department PIL. Mar 25, 2025 · Patient information leaflet describing the different exercises you should do after getting a mallet injury as advised by the Hand Therapy Team. Using therapeutic putty allows you to focus each exercise on specific muscles to encourage full recovery. It would be beneficial if these tasks where carried out in an You have been provided with exercise putty by your therapist to help with your upper limb strength, range and/or co-ordination. The fingers on the hands correspond to the toes of the feet. Exercise 3 Bending the top joint of the fingers Hold the finger so that only the end joint moves. When completing them, you may experience tightness or a pulling sensation, but this is normal. Jun 18, 2024 · Introduction to exercise Age is no barrier to exercise. Your therapist will advise which exercises are going to be most useful for you. Support around the thumb joint as shown and stretch the thumb upwards. Everyday activities such as getting dressed, using cutlery, playing with toys or scribbling with crayons all help to develop and strengthen the muscles of the hands and fingers. Flexion Extension Action: Slide thumb across palm towards little finger. The exercises that your therapist wishes you to complete will be ticked. Stretch you thumb back each time. Why should I do therapeutic putty exercises? As your hand gets better after injury or surgery, the strength of the muscles may need exercise to enable you to use the hand normally day-to-day. Hand and Wrist Exercises These exercises are designed to mobilise your wrist and hand. Supination (“palm facing up”) and pronation (“palm facing down”) : Keeping your shoulder and elbow and at the side of your body, turn your forearm so your palm is facing up and then down. This factsheet contains some finger exercises to help improve the range of movement in the joints of your fingers. Flexor tendons run across the palm of the hand. It is better to carry out these activities on a ‘little and often basis’ rather than for longer Therapy PUTTY Exercise and Information Sheet You have been provided with exercise putty by your therapist to help with your upper limb strength, range and/or coordination. If you experience a sharp pain, reduce the intensity of the exercises. Number of times to repeat: Number of times to perform each day: You should do this exercise while standing. Mar 18, 2024 · Try these 39 restorative and strengthening hand therapy exercises to improve mobility, strength, and function in your hand. 3. Fingers These exercises are designed to regain movement in your hand following your surgery or injury. Humans have five fingers on each hand and a significant feature in humans is the opposable thumb. The exercise programme that you will undertake has been designed specifically for you. Swinging your arm from front to back is one repetition. Bend and straighten your fingers. Welcome to the GRASP Home Program! GRASP is a program designed to improve your arm and hand strength, coordination, and your ability to use your stroke-affected arm in daily activities. Extensor tendons run along the top of the hand. socks, buttons, zips. Place your other hand on the table or chair for support. In humans, the fingers are flexibly articulated and opposable, serving as an important organ of tactile sensation and fine movements, which are crucial to the dexterity of the hands and the ability to grasp and manipulate objects. Stretch thumb web. The following is a list of activities that can be used to develop strength of the hand. Putty Exercises The exercises on the following pages are intended to help improve the movement and strength in your hand and wrist. M Finger Exercises Always exercise gently and slowly. 31444. 4 days ago · Swollen fingers (dactylitis) can be caused by too much salt, heat, or a serious health condition. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The aim of the leaflet is to provide information on strengthening exercises for the fingers following your hand injury/surgery. These exercises should be done gently and without force, but take your hand through as full a range of movement as possible. ?`ݺa. NHS Inform is a service for Scotland offering reliable, quality assured information that has enhanced features and digital tools to allow you to tailor the information, making it more personal to you. This is normal. You have had an injury to your finger. Hold your position at your end of range (as far as you can move it) for a few seconds, unless you are told otherwise. 6mzHT ÁÊ+ EGt饗! ÿé~ ‘pD‚szie5]¤F ?q ?aø¹ ž'êkW ïÅ ‘Ö¬YÊ ™‚DÌé éü3§2‡PQïÞdb 5ÿõÄ¿(ûôêž?ü ƒ‹i€vpNú ƒ$Ð'ÒÏö Exercises Thumb opposition Action: Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of each finger, then move down the creases of each finger. Hand Strengthening Exercises You have been provided with exercise putty by your therapist to help improve your hand strength. Serving the Town of Culpeper and surrounding counties of Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, Madison, Orange, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren. Discuss any concerns with your therapist. They should be carried out with minimal discomfort and this should disappear within 15 minutes of stopping the exercises. Increase hand strength, improve finger and thumb mobility and keep arthritis symptoms at bay with this hand workout. When completing the following exercises, you may feel tightness or a pulling sensation. Jul 9, 2025 · This exercise programme has been made for you to follow so that you can exercise the joints, muscles and tendons of your hands and wrists. They need to be implemented in a graded way and can be part of everyday activities. patient. They aim to develop overall grip, manipulation and stabilisation which will result in improved control of fine motor tasks. May 1, 2025 · This information is about how to do basic elbow and wrist exercises. Last updated: 23-8-16 MT Use your unaffected hand to hold below the middle joint of your finger, then bend the top two joints into a curl We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Please use the putty on a hard surface such as a table/tray. If the exercises increase your arm pain please reduce the range of movement, the number of exercise repetitions or choose a different exercise outlined, then gradually increase or reintroduce these as the pain allows. Therapeutic Putty Exercises This leaflet explains more about therapeutic putty exercises for patients with wrist, hand or finger injuries under the care of the St George’s Hospital hand therapy team. Wrist strengthening exercises This leaflet shows exercises to help you strengthen your wrist. Welcome to the Otago Strength and Balance programme. These exercises are necessary to: keep your shoulder, elbow, wrist, and finger joints from stifening up maintain some strength in your arm and hand muscles; and minimise painful swelling by improving your circulation. If you experience a sharp pain, reduce the EARLY YEARS – HAND SKILLS (Finger isolation, pincer grasp, in-hand manipulation, hand arches, hand dominance, hand strength) Mar 7, 2025 · Problems with the wrist, hand, and fingers can be caused by carrying out repetitive tasks, an injury during sport or a fall, or normal age-related changes. g. Apr 29, 2025 · Explore the anatomy, muscles, and nerves that enable finger movement, along with factors affecting flexibility, coordination, and common mobility challenges. Isometric Abduction Hand and Finger Strengthening Activities Reduced hand strength can influence ability with fine motor skills, including tasks such as using a pencil, cutting with scissors, using cutlery, opening containers, managing dressing E. Thumb Exercises Active range of movements Follow these exercises as directed by your therapist. The following exercises using therapy putty – ‘theraputty’ – will help to increase your thumb strength. Finding the right health and care information can make a real difference to how you manage your wellbeing. Tendons are long strings which connect the muscles of the forearm to the bones of the fingers and thumb. Spread your fingers apart and then squeeze them together again. 1. They are best carried out sitting at a table with your arms at a right angle and forearms resting on the table to ensure you are in alignment. Feb 6, 2025 · Carpal tunnel syndrome This information is useful for those who have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. We hope it will help to answer some of the questions you may have. Relax and raise and straighten thumb to ceiling. Bend the tips and middle joints of the fingers, then straighten them. Keeping your fingers straight, bend at the knuckles. Jun 29, 2025 · Each finger has a name that’s used in daily English: thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky. These exercises are designed to improve the movement in your hand. Mar 9, 2024 · Each finger and toe has three phalanges: proximal (closest to the hand or foot), middle, and distal (farthest from the hand or foot). Make sure that the fingers are straightened no further than the back of the hand. Damage to a tendon can occur through any type of trauma causing the tendon to be cut or crushed. Fingers are located on the distal part of the hand, extending from the palm. At any age, you can see improvement in your strength, balance, stamina, flexibility and more importantly the mental health benefits of exercise should never be underestimated. Read more about self-managing a wrist, hand or finger problem What is carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition affecting the median These exercises are designed to improve the movement in your hand. 4. If you remain concerned, the team can also advise upon how to make a formal complaint. Exercises to strengthen the main muscles of the hand Theraputty Exercises The following theraputty exercises are provided as a guide by your therapist to add graded resistive exercise to your programme. Resistance bands (or therabands) can vary in strength, so you may need to adjust your hand position to reduce or increase the amount of tension on the band for the different The aim of the leaflet is to provide information on strengthening exercises for the thumb which may be useful to you following your hand injury/ surgery. Straighten out all of the fingers, supporting them as shown. Also swelling (oedema) of the finger can restrict movement of a joint, making the finger stiff. If you have wrist, hand and finger problems, there are exercises that you can do to help you move normally as you recover. This leaflet includes information on how to look after the putty and exercises for you to complete. net. Try to encourage your child to carry out everyday tasks by themselves and only assist if… Continue Reading Developing hand and finger strength There may be visible loss of muscle bulk in severe cases, particularly noticeable on the back of the hand between the thumb and first finger, with loss of strength and dexterity. Jan 12, 2024 · Wrist strengthening exercises Information for patients, relatives and carers These exercises will help you restore strength and improve movement of your wrist. Find out how to treat these problems at home and when to see your healthcare professional. advice@nhs. People who are experiencing new or ongoing symptoms should contact a healthcare professional for assessment and diagnosis. Exercise at home This video uses resistance, in the form of therabands, to strengthen your muscles. You should do these exercises every _____ hours as advised by your therapist. Tendons take all the strain when bending your fingers to use your hand. Please ensure that you only exercise as instructed by your therapist. These bones are connected by joints and surrounded by a network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which allows smooth and coordinated movement. By maintaining your programme, you can improve: Balance Muscle strength General fitness General well-being You need to do the prescribed exercises three times a week. Bend and straighten your finger at the middle joint. Bend at end joint of thumb. Repeat up to 10 times for each finger. Here’s when to call your doctor about swollen fingers. Muscle strength of the hands and fingers increases as children grow. iuszcsqeuaekgwflhttjkzyktfrjsrlkqowuftiovqslgfgwnbrz