Skip to Main Content

Hand exercises

Tendon glides

  • Start with fingers straight
  • Keep wrist straight throughout
  • Bend your fingertips down towards your hand. Keep your knuckle joint straight to make a ‘Hook’
Hand making a hook

Hook

  • Return to start position
  • Move the knuckle joints and fingertips into a straight position, touching the tips of your fingers to your palm to make a straight fist
Hand with fingers folded down over the palm

Straight fist

  • Return to start position
  • Bend all finger joints into hand to make a ‘Fist’
Hand making a fist

Fist

  • Hold each position for 5 seconds and repeat all 3 times

Finger walking

  • Place your hands palm down on a table and move your thumb out to the side

Hand flat on a table, palm down and fingers together

  • Lift your index finger and move it towards the thumb.
  • Repeat the process with the other fingers

Hand flat on a table, fingers spread out

MCP Flexion

  • Bend the knuckle joints as shown in the picture
  • Repeat 5 times

Hand, wrist slightly bent and the fingers held straight and together in a horizontal position

Wrist circles

  • Move your hand in a circle, keeping your forearm and elbow still
  • Repeat in the opposite direction x 5 each

Arm raised at the wrist to make hand circles

Finger abduction

  • Start with your fingers straight and together
  • Spread your fingers apart
  • Bring them back together
  • Repeat 5-10 times

hand with fingers spread out on a table

Wrist backward bends

  • Sit with your elbows tucked into your side and bent to 90. Hold the elastic band in both hands with the wrists bent inwards. Make sure there is tension in the band.

Two hands holding a resistance band

  • Keeping your forearms still, bend your wrists back, stretching the band as much as is comfortably possible.

Resistance band being stretched with two hands

  • Hold this position for 2 seconds then slowly return to starting position.
  • Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Hand squeeze

  • Hold putty or a sponge/ball in hand
  • Use fingers to squeeze putty as hard as you comfortably can. Hold for 2 seconds, then relax.
  • Repeat 10 times x 2 sets

Hand squeezing a ball of putty

Finger squeeze

  • Roll putty into a sausage shape
  • Place your hands flat on a table and place putty between fingers.
  • Squeeze your fingers together as much as comfortably possible while keeping them straight.
  • Repeat with other fingers.

A ball of putty being squeezed between the middle finger and index finger of a hand

Finger pinch

  • Place the putty between the thumb and finger.
  • Squeeze the putty as hard as you comfortably can.
  • Repeat with the other fingers.

A ball of putty being squeezed by the thumb and index finger of a hand

Combined Shoulder/Elbow Movements

  • Hand behind head
  • Hand behind back