Bridge to Wellness
These exercises are handy for promoting fitness beyond just arms and legs.
by Jo Mayer
Perhaps you’ve felt the tingling in your fingertips warning you that you are overusing some of the muscles in your hands and wrists.
Often when we think of exercising, we focus on the large muscles of the arms and legs, but there are muscles we use just as much that could use some attention as well—our hands and wrists. Modern devices and lifestyles rely a lot on the use of our hands—remote controls, smart phones, computers, opening jars and cans, and driving. Overuse of some hand muscles can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, not to mention the onslaught of arthritis, especially as we age.
According to WebMD and the Arthritis Foundation, exercises can help with both arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Here are a few that can be done almost anywhere, two to three times a day. CAUTION: If you feel pain when doing any of the exercises, stop doing them and consult with your doctor about appropriate exercises for you.
Grip Strengthener: Squeeze a pair of rolled-up socks or a hand-exercise ball as hard as you can and hold for 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times on each hand.
Wrist Rotations: Rotate your wrists by moving only your hands up, down, left, and right. Repeat up to four times.
Finger Stretch: Stretch your fingers wide and then relax them, and repeat up to four times.
Thumb Stretch: Using your opposite hand, push your thumb backward until you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat up to four times on each hand.
Prayer Stretch: Put your hands together under your chin and near your chest in a prayer position. Holding that position, lower your hands down to your waist until you feel a moderate stretch. Hold for up to 30 seconds. Repeat between two and four times.
Thumb Touches: One at a time, touch the tip of each finger to the tip of your thumb so they make an O-shape. Repeat a few times on each hand.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, a study published in 2015 showed that people with rheumatoid arthritis who performed daily hand exercises as part of their treatment plan showed twice the improvement in hand function, grip, and flexibility after a year than those who didn’t do the exercises. In a follow-up study a year later, researchers found the benefits went away in people who stopped doing the exercises.
Make a habit of doing these exercises—maybe as you stand in line, wait in traffic, or watch television.
The choice is in your hands.
Modern lifestyles rely a lot on the use of our hands. When working out, don’t just focus on arm and leg muscles; hand exercises are important too. Image credit: Diego PH on unsplash.com
