Managing Hand Arthritis With These Simple Exercises

The most common cause of hand pain is arthritis. The breakdown of cartilage in the joints of people with arthritis results in pain and stiffness in the finger joints. Doing repetitive tasks with your hands, such as typing or writing, might exacerbate this pain. Over time, you can also experience a loss of hand strength, which can make even routine daily tasks like cooking or opening jars challenging. Hand arthritis can cause excruciating pain, impair movement, and weaken your hands. Your tendons may shorten over time if you begin to restrict your activities and movement because of arthritis discomfort, which might result in the obvious symptoms of advanced hand arthritis. Certain hand mobility exercises will assist you in getting back into action if your hands are causing you discomfort, edema, or stiffness that is preventing you from performing your everyday duties. Hand exercises are an easy, non-invasive way to strengthen your muscles, increase your range of motion, improve your flexibility, and reduce the pain associated with arthritis. It may alleviate the discomfort and help you move your hands more effectively.

Everything you need to know about Arthritis in Ayurveda

How Does Exercise Help Hand Arthritis?

Although hand arthritis is especially challenging to treat, there are exercises that can help with pain and stiffness. The range of motion will eventually become so restricted that it will become more difficult and unpleasant to regain. Therefore, it’s imperative to stop symptoms from getting worse right away rather than try to restore function later. Exercise is a natural remedy. Hand exercises can improve joint flexibility and reduce soreness, stiffness, and edema. Regular practice of the exercises is crucial. Creating a routine will also assist in preserving that consistency. Therapists typically recommend particular hand exercises based on the patient’s condition. Certain stretches release tight muscles and tendons and improve a joint’s range of motion. Some exercises target the muscles surrounding a joint to increase strength and endurance or to produce more power. However, you need to consult your doctor before starting any new stretching or exercise to make sure you’re well enough to do the new activity and that it complements your current treatment plan.

Hand Exercises

Hand exercises are a useful intervention to increase the strength, function, and mobility of the hands.

Wrist Extension And Flexion

• Hold your hand off the edge of the table, palm down, and place your forearm on a rolled-up towel for padding on top of the table.
•  Raise the hand until a slight strain is felt.
• Go back to where you were before.
• With your elbow bent at your side and your palm facing up, repeat the same movements.

Make A Fist

• With your fingers straight and close together, extend one hand outward.
• Now clench your fist gently. Your thumb needs to be extended beyond your fingers. Avoid squeezing your fingers.
• When your fingers are once again straight, slowly open your fist.
• Perform ten repetitions of this exercise with one hand, and then with the other.

Thumb Bend

• Raise your left hand straight up first. After then, turn your thumb inside outward towards your palm.
• Use your thumb to reach for the base of your pinky finger.
• Don’t worry if your pinky is out of reach. Simply extend your thumb as far as it will go.
• After a brief moment of holding the posture, move your thumb back to the beginning position. Repeat ten times in both hands.

Also read: Tips To Reduce Back Pain In The Office

Make An ‘O’

• Perform this exercise on each hand many times a day. This is a stretch you may do anytime your hands start to hurt or become stiff.
• Start with your fingers straight and your left hand extended.
• Your fingers should all be bent inward until they contact each other. Using your fingers, make the letter “O.”
• Keep your posture like this for a short while. Next, extend your fingers once more.
• Continue with the opposite hand. 

Fingertip Touch

• To begin, keep your hand straight and your fingers near together.
• Touch your thumb to each finger to create a circle.
• Make a gentle, slow motion contact between your thumb and index finger.
• After holding for five seconds, take your index finger off.
• Then use your little, ring, and middle fingers to follow. With each hand, perform this exercise five times.

Spread Your Fingers

• Put one hand with the fingers clasped and the palm down on a table. Grab your wrist with the other hand to provide a stabilising aid.
• Spread apart all of your fingers as widely as possible, slowly. Hold for ten to fifteen seconds.
• Close your fingers slowly to the beginning position.
• Use the other hand to complete this exercise again.

Wrist Bends

• With your palm facing down, extend your left or right arm in front of you.
• Press the top of the palm facing downward gently towards the floor with your other hand.
• Repeat this exercise five to ten times, then switch hands. Remember not to overdo it .

Warmup Ball

One excellent way to warm up your hand before working out is to roll a ball along it. To carry it out:

• Scoop up a tennis ball or a comparable-sized firm ball.
• Place it on a level surface, such as a table, and hold your hand over it, palm down.
• Roll the ball up and down your fingers, back and forth, and across your palm.

Wring Towel

• With one palm towards the floor and the other facing the ceiling, roll or collect the ends of a towel lengthwise and hold them in either hand.
• As if you were wringing out the towel, roll your wrists in opposing directions and squeeze your hands around it.
• Tentatively hold this position for three to five seconds, then let go. After ten repetitions, switch up your hand positions and carry out another ten repetitions.

Grasping the towel with a soft fist is a useful mechanism in this exercise. Be deliberate in your movements, and ensure that your thumb is on the outside of your fist.

Also read: Why Do People Prefer Ayurvedic Treatments?

Conclusion

Hand arthritis can significantly affect daily functioning, so it’s critical to get treatment as soon as possible. While medication is an option, hand exercises are typically advised by doctors. To achieve the best results, incorporate these exercises into your weekly routine. For those with arthritis, regular exercise can help reduce disease activity, hand discomfort, and hand stiffness.
At Leelajani Ayurcare, we provide total care and treatment for arthritis. Our highly professional doctors formulate essential Ayurvedic treatments and guide our patients throughout the treatment process. aiding them in successfully overcoming the disease. To book your consultation with us, contact us at 8547675555. Get treatment before the condition worsens.