Get a grip: keep your hands and wrists strong, nimble, and free from pains and strains

Natural Health, April, 2005 by Shelton Linda

ALMOST EVERY ACTION -- from tying a shoelace to driving a car--depends on the strength and agility of your hands, wrists, and forearms. Yet they're constantly exposed to physical stress that can damage the nerves, tendons, muscles, and soft tissues, and even lead to repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel syndrome. Meanwhile, a growing reliance on pushbutton appliances can lead to a loss in grip strength and dexterity.

The exercises here condition and strengthen the motor muscles of the hands, wrists, and forearms to improve performance and protect against injury. They primarily target the wrist flexors and the small muscles of the fingers and hands, and are designed to take some of the workload off the wrist extensors (the muscles most likely to be affected by repetitive strain). These moves also reduce overall stiffness, and promote finger dexterity and general mobility. Practice any or all of them daily--or at least three times a week--to grab the benefits.

play jacks

[1] Sit comfortably on the floor, and toss a handful of jacks in front of you. At each bounce of the ball, pick up a jack with your right hand ("onesies'). Once you've picked up every jack, one at a time, progress to picking up two jacks per bounce ("twosies"), and so on until you can grab all lo jacks in a single bounce. As you play, pay attention to your breathing pattern and the amount of effort it takes to scoop up the jacks. Begin again, using your left hand to pick up the jacks.

Benefit: Improves hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity.

After a week: The game should get easier; eventually, you'll be able to pick up all 10 jacks and grab the ball on a single bounce.

TAKE THE DEXTERITY TEST

1. Can you playjacks, and pick up the ball and a single jack without dropping them?

2. Can you pen a tight-lidded jar?

3. Can you button and unbutton a shirt with one hand?

4. Can you touch your thumbs to each finger on the same hand quickly without missing?

5. Can you flex your wrists to point your fingers straight down and straight up?

6. Can you move your hands efficiently along a computer keyboard without strain?

7. Can you easily do simple, small movements, such as threading picking up a pin dropped on the floor?

Finger stretch

[2a] Hold your hands out in front of you with the fingers of each hand together, thumb in toward the index finger.

[2b] Stretch your fingers and thumbs as far apart as possible, then bring them together. Repeat opening and closing the digits 15 to 20 times.

Benefit: Improves finger dexterity and range of motion.

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Finger push-ups

[3a] With fingers spread and elbows bent, press your hands firmly together, touching from the pads of the fingertips down to the palms.

[3b] Use the tension between the fingertips to arch the fingers out so that only the pads of the fingertips are touching.

[3c] Continue to press the fingers and thumbs together as you move them toward each other. Hold the tension as you open; repeat 15 to 20 times.

Benefit: Improves finger and wrist strength. After a week: You can expect to open a jar more easily grasp objects with a stronger grip.

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wrist bend and straighten

[4a] Hold your hands in front of you, arms and wrists straight, palms down. Bend both wrists, pointing your fingers toward the floor; hold this position for 5 counts. Straighten the wrists; repeat 5 times.

[4b] Reversing the direction, flex your wrists to point the fingers up; hold for 5 counts. Straighten your wrists; repeat 5 times.

Benefit: Strengthens the wrists and forearms; helps relieve discomfort caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.

After a week: Look for greater wrist flexibility and less tension in your forearms.

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towel twister

[5a] Hold a rolled towel at chest height, arms straight and palms down, hands about shoulder-width apart. Pull the ends of the towel in opposite directions to create tension.

[5b] Keeping your arms straight and maintaining steady tension on the towel, twist the towel forward, then backward. Repeat lo to 15 times.

Benefit: Increases hand and forearm strength, and wrist mobility.

After a week: You should notice greater wrist flexibility and stronger forearms.

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prayer pose

[6a] Press your palms together in front of your chest, fingers pointing up. Keeping the palms together, lift your elbows until you feel the stretch in your forearms. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds.

[6b] Reverse the action: Place the backs of your hands together with the fingers pointing down; hold for 10 to 15 seconds.

Benefit: Strengthens the wrists and hands.

After a week: You'll feel less strain and more flexibility in the wrists, along with greater forearm strength.

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More Handy Moves

Flipovers Lay your forearm on a table, palm down. Keeping your little finger on the table, turn your hand so the palm faces up. Return to starting position, and repeat 5 to 10 times. Switch hands, then repeat. For a greater challenge, hold a 1- to 3-pound weight. Strengthens forearm rotators.

Drumming Place just your fingers on a tabletop with your lowest knuckle at the edge of the table and your entire palm off the table. Keeping your wrist straight and palms still, use only your fingers to "drum" on the table. Experiment by moving your fingers far apart, then together, and drumming fast, then slow. Improves finger dexterity; strengthens wrist muscles.