These Exercises Can Help Relieve Your Arthritis Pain

Exercise may be the last thing you think of if you live with arthritis, but some exercise can actually improve arthritis-related symptoms. If your arthritis affects the joints in your hands, you can have a difficult time performing simple, everyday tasks. Performing hand-specific exercises can help relieve symptoms and increase mobility so that you can improve your quality of life.

Here are some hand exercises you can practice daily to improve your arthritis.

Hand Exercises for Arthritis

Make a fist: This exercise is very simple – all you do is make a fist. Begin with your fingers straight out then curl them in to make a fist. Squeeze your fist then release. Perform this at least 10 times per hand.

Finger bends: Using only one finger at a time, bend the finger inwards towards you palm, release, then do the same motion with the next finger. Complete this sequence a couple of time times and hold the finger a couple of seconds when inward.

Thumb bend: Bend your thumb inward toward your palm. Using your pinky, press down on the thumb to provide an additional stretch. If your pinky doesn’t stretch to the thumb, simply stretch your thumb as far as you can.

Make an “O”: Bend your fingers as to make the letter “O.” Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.

Table lift: Place your hand flat on a table top and lift each finger upward from the table separately.

Performing these exercises daily can help ease stiffness, reduce pain, and increase the mobility of your hands, which can allow you to participate in everyday activities.

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