Hand Exercises
Date issued: January 2025
For review: January 2027
Ref: C-408/JT/OT/Hand exercises v4
PDF: Hand Exercises.pdf [pdf] 547KB
Your therapist will advise you with specific exercises to do which are safe for your condition/injury
Please follow advice from your clinician on the following hand exercises. These exercises will help to improve movement of your hand.
Please contact your clinician if you have any concerns.
Swelling
Swelling is normal and can take months to resolve. Try to keep your hand elevated. When sitting down, put some pillows on the arm of the chair to rest your hand above the level of your heart and use a sling when you are walking around.
Once any wounds are healed and the splint/support/strapping can be removed contrast bathing is an excellent way to ease the swelling, stiffness and pain in your hand. Fill one bowl with water hot enough to comfortably tolerate and another with cold water and ice cubes/unopened bag of frozen peas. Immerse your hand in each bowl for 30 seconds at a time starting in the hot water repeat 7 times ending in the hot water. You can repeat this regularly throughout the day to help with pain and swelling.
Tendon Gliding Exercises
What is a tendon?
A tendon is the fibrous tissue that attaches muscle to bone.
When you want to move your hand, the muscles contract and pull the tendon, which in turn move the joints in your hand. Therefore, the tendons need to glide fully to allow movement.
What happens following an injury or surgery?
Injury to the hand leads to swelling. This swelling could hinder the gliding of tendons which will make it more difficult to move your hand. Your hand may become stiff.
What are tendon gliding exercises?
Tendon gliding exercises are specific exercises which promote the motion of tendons in the surrounding soft tissues. These exercises help to reduce the adhesion between tendons and surrounding tissues, including the underlying bone, while you are recovering from your injury.
These exercises also help to reduce swelling in your hand.
If you would like to access the exercise videos:
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type in the specific access code related to the exercise
Access code: VV6H7CMGT
The following exercises are to be performed:…………times a day.
Each movement is to be performed for:…….….repetitions, holding for:…………seconds
Flat Tabletop Movement
View the Hand exercises PDF for images
Bend the knuckle joints (base of your fingers) forward without bending any other joints of your fingers.
Straighten your fingers.
Hook Fist Movement
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Hold your fingers straight.
Bend your fingers down only at the top joints and middle joints.
Straighten your fingers.
Straight Fist Movement
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Bend the knuckle joints (base of your fingers) forward without bending any other joints of your fingers.
Then bend your fingers at the middle joints but keeping the tip of your fingers straight. Straighten your fingers.
Full Fist Movement
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Make a fist with your hand without clenching it tight.
From Full Fist to Hook Fist
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Make a fist with your hand without clenching it tight.
Straighten your fingers at the knuckle joints, follow by your middle joints and end joints.
Finger and Thumb Abduction and Adduction
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Spread fingers and thumb wide apart
Move fingers and thumb tightly back together
Thumb opposition exercises
1. Move your thumb to touch the tip of your index finger, aiming to make a good “O” shape with the tip of your thumb and finger.
2. Repeat the same movement with your thumb and other fingers.
3. Proceed to touching the little finger if pain free.
4. Once able to touch tip of little finger, move thumb down length of ring and little fingers
Passive Exercises
Not to be started until directed by your therapist
If you would like to access the exercise videos:
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type in the specific access code related to the exercise
The following exercises are to be performed:…………times a day.
Each movement is to be performed for:…….….repetitions. Holding each position for:…………..seconds.
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Use other hand to bend individual finger and joints. Access code: VVYZUYHRX, VVC4S9XKB and VVSXBUN85
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Use other hand to push all fingers into palm of hand. Access code: VVGS979QR
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Use other hand to push fingers straight or push down on a flat surface.
Isolated Finger Exercises
View the Hand exercises PDF for images
Top joint of your finger
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Place your other hand below the top joint of your finger so that the rest of finger is straight.
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Bend the top joint of the finger under your own power
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Straighten the finger.
Middle joint of your finger
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Place your other hand below the middle joint of your finger.
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Keep all other fingers straight.
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Bend your finger at the middle joint only.
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Straighten your finger.
