7 Hand Exercises to Prevent Arthritis – AARP
Jacobs, an occupational therapist, knew just what to do: start incorporating hand exercises into her day to maintain hand function. Research is mixed, but a 2018 study on 151 people with hand osteoarthritis found that those who performed exercises at home for two months improved grip strength and had less pain and fatigue when compared with a control group…….
Jacobs, an occupational therapist, knew just what to do: start incorporating hand exercises into her day to maintain hand function. Research is mixed, but a 2018 study on 151 people with hand osteoarthritis found that those who performed exercises at home for two months improved grip strength and had less pain and fatigue when compared with a control group.
A caveat: Some exercises, like squeezing a stress ball, can irritate joints by causing rough cartilage to rub together, Carlson says. Instead, Carlson and Jacobs recommend the following moves. When doing them, let pain be your guide: If it hurts, stop. It’s also a good idea to get checked out by your doctor first to rule out other conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which is treated differently.
Warm up in the morning simply by going about your regular routine: Make breakfast, get dressed, feed the dog. Then, with your doctor’s OK, aim to go through these exercises every day. Plan to do five reps on each hand. You can build these into routine activities, such as when you’re talking on the phone or watching TV.
Source: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/exercises-prevent-arthritis.html
