Exercises to keep your hands flexible

Do you suffer from stiff or painful hands, for example due to osteoarthritis, rheumatism, or overuse? Regular movement is essential to keep your hands flexible and to stimulate blood circulation.
With the ten simple exercises below, you can keep your joints and muscles in good condition anytime and anywhere.

1. Make a fist

Start with a relaxed hand. Slowly close your fingers into a gentle fist and then fully open your hand again. Repeat this ten times per hand. This improves mobility and reduces stiffness in the fingers.

2. Stretch and spread your fingers

Place your hand flat on a table and spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Hold for three seconds and slowly bring them back together. This exercise helps reduce tension in the fingers.

3. Finger exercise

Place your thumb alternately against the tip of each finger, as if forming a circle. Press briefly and release. Repeat three times per finger. This improves coordination and fine motor skills.

4. Finger bending

Bend your fingers one by one halfway toward the palm, as if making a claw. Then slowly straighten them again. Repeat ten times. This exercise trains the finger flexor muscles.

5. Thumb stretch

Keep your hand straight and slowly move the thumb away from the palm, as far as feels comfortable. Hold for three seconds and release. Repeat five to ten times. This improves mobility of the thumb joint.

6. Rolling the hands

Interlace your fingers and make slow, circular movements with your wrists. Do this for one minute clockwise and one minute counterclockwise. This exercise loosens both the wrist and hand joints.

7. Hands flat on the table

Place your hand flat on the table and try to lift the palm slightly off the surface without lifting the fingers. Hold briefly and relax. This exercise strengthens the muscles in the palm of the hand.

8. Squeezing exercise

Use a soft stress ball or hand trainer. Slowly squeeze the ball, hold briefly, and release. Repeat ten times per hand. This strengthens grip strength and stimulates blood circulation.

9. “Spider exercise”

Place the fingertips of both hands against each other (as if praying). Slowly move the fingers apart and back together, as if a spider is moving its legs. This exercise promotes flexibility of all finger joints at the same time.

10. Wrist flexion and extension

Rest your forearm on a table with your hand hanging over the edge. Slowly move your hand up and down (as if saying “yes” with your hand). Do this fifteen times per wrist. This strengthens the wrist flexors and extensors.

Do your hands remain painful or stiff?

If you notice that your hands remain painful or stiff despite the exercises, additional support may help. A hand or wrist brace provides rest, stability, and compression, which can improve circulation and reduce swelling. Rheumatoid gloves can also provide relief for stiff or tired hands, especially during prolonged use or in cold temperatures.

For mild complaints, a light wrist brace or elastic thumb support may already be sufficient to relieve the hands. For more severe or chronic complaints, a brace with firm support is recommended, such as the Thuasne Ligaflex Classic or the Push Ortho CMC for thumb and wrist problems. These products help stabilize the joints without completely restricting mobility.