Staying Healthy
Try this: Give your hands a hand
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Your hands need exercising like any other body part. While there are many hand-strengthening exercises, here are three you can do using therapy putty to help improve grip and pinch strength. These may be especially helpful if you have a weak grip or other hand weakness.
Therapy putty, available at medical supply stores, is a malleable plastic material that provides varying degrees of resistance. Begin with the softest putty and advance to a denser version once you can do the exercises without difficulty. You initially may feel muscle discomfort after performing these exercises, but it should go away within 24 hours. Perform each exercise 10 times every other day.
- Putty grip. Roll the putty into a ball and hold it in your palm. Gently squeeze the putty as much as possible by making a fist around it, and then release.
- Putty key pinch. Roll the putty into a short, fat cylinder. Place the putty between your thumb and the side of your index finger as if you are putting a key into a lock. Gently squeeze the putty until you feel resistance, and release.
- Putty three-point pinch. Roll the putty into a short, fat cylinder. Hold the putty between the pads of your thumb and your index and middle fingers. Gently squeeze the putty between your fingers and thumb as much as possible, and release.
Image: © iMercury/Getty Images
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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