Hand therapy is best to relieve pain and soreness and helps your hand get in shape. Mostly hand performed along with medication in case of arthritis, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
But what to do if your condition is not severe? You don't need to visit a doctor. It can easily be cured at home with exercise. You can use physiotherapy tools like stress balls to ease pain and other symptoms during therapy.
Thorough hand therapy not only involves massaging the affected area but also includes other healing methods. You can use pressure, heating, and manipulation techniques to improve hand functions.
Are you running out of time or not able to visit your doctor? If yes, you definitely want to know how to do fast but thorough hand therapy. Great! Here is what you need to know about a quick hand session.
What is the benefit of thorough hand therapy?
Some people use it as a preventative measure, while others use it to treat pain after an injury. Either way, the idea is the same: you want to improve your strength and flexibility to prevent further damage from occurring.
Some of the expected benefits are:
Hand therapy helps to get relief in acute and chronic pain conditions.
It increases blood circulation, reducing the joints' stiffness and swelling.
It improves the range of motion of the affected joint.
Hand therapy assists in the flexibility and mobility of the joint.
It increases the strength of the muscles of the hand.
If you want faster recovery after surgery, hand therapy helps you.
It helps to reshape your hand after trauma.
It helps people with sleeping issues like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.
Hand therapists make it possible to get back to your routine work.
In case of nerve injury, it desensitises nerves.
Can I do a quick hand therapy?
Yes, you can do a quick hand therapy. All you need to know is some simple tools and techniques. Let's have a look:
First of all, you need a clean, comfortable and quiet space. Take off all jewellery pieces or gadgets as it causes distraction. Make sure your hands are warm and dry. Start with the hand closest to yourself.
You want to start with your pointer finger and thumb on top, so they're pointing toward you! Now, please take a deep breath, hold it for five seconds, then exhale fully and relax your whole arm as much as possible.
After this, do stretching of wrist and hand for a few seconds. Massage the affected area to release knots and trigger points. This increases circulation, so nutrient-rich blood reaches muscles and maximises muscle recovery.
How can I improve my hand function?
Hand functions can be improved by doing simple exercises. It's important to note that hand therapy isn't meant to heal injuries or diseases but rather to help relieve the symptoms of those conditions.
Do hand exercises daily, even if it's only for a few minutes. Try to do them comfortably for yourself and your situation. Some of these are:
Stretching exercises
Strengthening exercises
Range of motion exercises
Massage
How can I do a 5-minute hand therapy at home?
Hand therapy is a type of physical therapy that focuses on improving hand functions. Hand therapy can be done at home with a few simple exercises that are:
Stretching Exercises
Stretching exercises are best to increase the flexibility and mobility of your hand, which in turn increase blood flow. This helps to ease pain and stiffness in your joints.
Finger Stretching
Place your hand on a flat surface with palm down and slowly straighten your fingers as far as possible. This helps ease the pain.
Claw Stretch
Hold your hand in such a way that your palm faces you. Now bend your fingers towards the base of your fingers.
Thumb Stretches
Try to stretch out your thumb with palms facing you. For this, gently bend the tip and base of the thumb joint towards the palm.
Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening exercises are a crucial part of thorough hand therapy. Its main goal is to improve strength and flexibility to aid the healing process.
Grip Strengtheners
Hold a soft ball in your palm and squeeze it for a few seconds. This helps to hold small objects in your hand.
Pinch Strengtheners
Hold a soft foam ball with your thumb and index finger for a few seconds. This helps to do tasks like holding a fork and knife.
Stress ball
Stress ball hand exercises are best to increase the flexibility of tight muscles. Compress the stress ball in your hand for a few seconds.
Thumb Extension
Put your thumb on a flat surface and wrap a rubber around your hand. Now gently stretch your thumb away from other fingers.
Range of Motion Exercises
When dealing with a hand injury, you want to ensure that your range of motion is where it needs to be. It helps pick up small objects like a pen, comb, or toothbrush.
Make a fist
Curl your fingers to make a fist so that your thumb wraps the fingers. Hold it for a few seconds, and then spread your fingers.
Finger Lift
Place your hand palms down, now gently lift one finger and lower down. One by one, lift your fingers and thumb 8 to 10 times.
Thumb Flexion
Put your hand in front of you with your palm up. Stretch your thumb away and then move towards the base of the little finger. Hold it for a few seconds.
Thumb Touch
With your wrist straight, hold your hand up and touch your thumb with the tip of each finger. Make the shape of "O."
You can perform all these exercises,
Final Verdict
Thorough hand therapy is necessary to relieve pain, stiffness, and swelling. You can perform stress ball hand exercises or stretching and strengthening exercises for a few minutes.
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