Give Yourself A Hand: 4 Exercises To Strengthen Your Fingers And Hands

The benefits of exercise are always being talked about; it helps you lose weight, keeps your heart healthy, and helps improve your mood. You probably always hear about how you should get on the treadmill, lift weights, do squats, and the list goes on and on. One part of the body that you probably aren't encouraged to exercise, however, is your hands.Your hands are working all day, so it's easy to believe they don't need exercise, but they're no different from any other body part. Your hands have muscles and joints too, and if you don't exercise them, they can weaken and succumb to a whole list of problems. Fortunately, there are simple hand exercises that only take a few minutes, but make a big difference.

Thumb Touch

With your hand in a vertical position, touch your thumb to your pinky; continue to touch your thumb to every other finger until you've done them all. When you've touched all your fingers, start back at the beginning again. Hold each stretch for a few seconds and repeat at least five times on each hand; doing this will help increase the range of motion in your thumb, while also stretching your other fingers.

Spider Fingers

With your body in a downward-facing dog position, spread your fingers out as wide as you can. Then, pick your palms up off the floor and balance your weight on your fingertips; your fingers will look like spider fingers. When you first do this exercise, you might only be able to hold it for a few seconds, but that's fine. Repeating this exercise regularly will build up enough strength in your hands and fingers so that eventually, you can hold the stretch longer.

Thumb Extension

Place your hand flat on an even surface, and wrap a rubber band around the middle of your hand (it should sit towards the bottom of your thumb). Slowly, push your thumb out on an angle and hold it there for 30 seconds. You can do at least eight reps on each hand and can repeat the exercise a few times a week. The rubber band creates resistance, which helps strengthen your thumb.

Clay Play

This exercise will bring you right back to your childhood. It turns out that playing with clay will not only strengthen your hands and fingers, but also increase your range of motion. You can squeeze the clay, roll it in a ball, flatten it out, or make designs with it; any of these motions are effective at strengthening. If you don't like the smell or feel of clay, you can replace the exercise with a stress ball.

Performing these exercises regularly will help keep your hands and fingers strong, especially as you get older. It's also important to note that it's a good idea to warm your hands up before exercising to avoid injury. If you do suffer an injury, you may want to consult with an orthopedist. For more information, contact Ascar Egtedar, MD or a similar medical professional.