Patient Information

Rheumatology

Hand Exercises for Patients with Arthritis

Do the exercises slowly and gently. You might expect to feel some achiness after exercise but it should not last for than two hours. Even on bad days, still do the exercises but do fewer repetitions. Increase very gradually.

Please do ______repetitions ______a day.

Fingers

1 2 3 Radial walking - slide your Bend and straighten your Bend and straighten fingers one a towards fingers from the knuckles, your top two finger your thumb, use talc or tissue keeping your top two finger joints, keeping your to ease friction on the table if joints straight. knuckles straight. needed.

NB do not lift the fingers as this works different muscles so try to avoid this.

Patient Information

4 5 With your palm on a table; lift With your palm on a table, each of your fingers one at a spread your fingers and bring time, including your thumb. them together. Thumb

6 7 8 Make an “O” shape with Lift your thumb up as far as Get your thumb in line with your thumb and each finger possible, keeping top two your index finger and in turn. joints bent your thumb outwards as far as possible as if to grip a large object for example a pint glass or a tin

Wrist

9 10 Lift your wrist up and down. Turn your palm upwards and downwards. Your elbow should be resting on the table. Your elbow should be resting on the table or close to the side of your body to avoid movement with your shoulder.

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Stretches for patients with arthritis

Do the exercises slowly and gently. You might expect to feelsome achiness after exercise but it should not last for more than two hours. Even on bad days, still do the exercises but do fewer repetitions. Increase very gradually.

Please do ______repetitions ______a day and hold position for ______seconds. Fingers

1 2 Make a fist and with each of Use your opposite hand to your fingers push in to make straighten your fingers by a full curl pushing down.

Thumb

3 4 5 With your hand upright, With your hand facing up, With your hand flat on the and your thumb in line with use your other hand to hold table, pull your thumb your index finder, hold your thumb and push down towards you. your thumb and pull away towards your little finger from your palm. Ensure you stretch at the web space Ensure you stretch at the web space

Hand exercises for patients with arthritis www.uhcw.nhs.uk - 3 - Patient Information

Wrist

1 2 3 Clasp your hands together Place your forearm on a Put your hands in prayer and tuck your elbows into table with your hand over (palms together), elbows on your sides. the edge a table and slide your hands downward. Turn your palms up and Make sure your elbow is in then down. contact with the table

Let your hand drop down, push on back of your hand with your other hand. General strengthening exercises for patients with arthritis

Do the exercises slowly and gently. You might feel some achiness after exercise but it should not last for more than two hours. Even on bad days, still do the exercises but do fewer repetitions. Increase very gradually.

Please do ______repetitions ______a day and hold position for ______seconds.

1 2 3 Grip a ball or a firm washing Use a peg and pinch with Using an elastic band, place up sponge and squeeze each of fingers in turn around all your fingers and thumb, place above your knuckles, and stretch out your fingers and your thumb

Hand exercises for patients with arthritis www.uhcw.nhs.uk - 4 - Patient Information

4 5 With your hand flat, and your a. Hold a small weight, for . Holding a small weight, fingers and thumb outwards, example a 500ml water turn your wrist around to on a towel, try to gather fabric bottle, with your palm face upwards and then between all of your fingers facing down. Bend your downwards. and thumb. wrist downwards and then upwards. If this is too difficult, try with a tissue first. b. Reverse the exercise with your palm facing upwards.

The Trust has access to interpreting and translation services. If you need this information in another language or please ask and we will do our best to meet your needs. Further Information If you need further information please contact your Therapy Department: University Hospital, Coventry and Warwickshire: Tel 024 7696 6016 Rugby, St Cross Hospital: Tel 01788 663257 For further information please visit our hand service web site http://tinyurl.com/uhcwhand

The Trust operates a smoke free policy

Document History – Published: May 2015 Reviewed: June 2019 Review: June 2021 Version: 3.1 Reference: HIC/LFT/1876/15

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