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Exercises To Strengthen Your Hands

By on June 5, 2020

With all that time at a computer, you may find you need to strengthen your hands. Many writers find that their time spent at a computer can leave them feeling a little uncomfortable. If you want to write at your most productively, it’s important to take good care of your health. Hand pain is a common complaint in writers, and so here are some exercises to help ensure that you keep those digits flexible, and that long hours typing away don’t leave you with any injuries!

These exercises can help those with a muscle or joint problem which affects their hands, fingers or wrists.

It’s best to try doing five repetitions of each exercise three times each day. When you have built up more strength you can add to this by doing a couple more repetitions as long as you don’t experience any pain or discomfort. 

If any of these exercises feel too painful, cause new pain or make symptoms worse it is best to stop them immediately and contact your medical processional.

Tried and tested exercises to strengthen your hands

The clenched wrist bend

Rest your hand on its side on a table, with the hand loosely clenched, then bend both the wrist and fingers towards you. Hold the position for 2 seconds before bending the write and fingers back to the starting position.

The side to side wrist bend

Rest your palm on the table, keeping both fingers and wrist straight, then bend the wrist to the right without straining. Hold the position for 2 seconds then bend back to the center. Repeat on other side. 

The hand turn

Rest your palm on the table, keeping both fingers and wrist straight, then turn the palm up without straining. Hold the position for 2 seconds then turn your palm back to center.

The hand clench

Rest your hand on its side on a table, keeping both the fingers and wrist straight, then gently clench your fingers until you create a loose fist. Hold for 2 seconds before unclench the fingers and retiring them to a straight position.

The finger curl

Turn the hand so that your palm is facing towards you, and so that the fingers are loosely clenched, before slowly uncurling the fingers until they are fully straight, without straining. Hold for 2 seconds before curling them back into the starting position.

The finger and thumb touch

Turn the hand so that your palm is facing towards you, keep the hand relaxed and open, then touch your thumb to each finger one by one. After touching your little finger, go back the other way.

These exercises can help writers ensure that their hands are in good condition and will lessen the chances of experiencing discomfort or pain that could stop you in your tracks just when you are in the writing zone! So why not try them out? 

So now you know these exercises to strengthen your hands, why not learn more about how staying healthy can make you a better writer?

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About Beth Cadman