Stretching Exercises to Help
Prevent Sports Injuries
Stretching Exercises to Help
Prevent Sports Injuries
Stretching Exercises to Help Prevent Sports Injuries
June 13, 2025
Athletes are often told that, to avoid injury and keep in top condition, it is important to stretch. But, is this true? If so, which stretches are best before and after physical activity when it comes to preventing sports injuries?
In this article, we will explore 6 essential hand therapy exercises that can help you improve strength. Let’s delve deeper.
1. Wrist, finger, and thumb extension and flexion
Wrist, finger, and thumb extension and flexion exercises are beneficial for reducing stiffness and restoring movement in paralyzed hands following a stroke.
Wrist exercises involve moving the hand up and down at the wrist with the palm facing upward and downward. Finger exercises include forming a fist and extending the fingers straight, while thumb exercises focus on moving the thumb inward and outward to improve mobility.
Repeating these movements regularly aids recovery and enhances flexibility.
2. Wrist stretch
Wrist stretches are essential for improving hand flexibility, restoring movement, and preventing injuries in athletes. The exercise involves making a fist, bending the wrist backward and forward, holding each position briefly, and repeating daily for consistent recovery.
3. Grip strengthening
Grip-strengthening exercises are vital for improving finger strength and hand function, aiding in holding and releasing objects. Key exercises include:
Stress Ball Squeeze: Squeeze a stress ball inward with your fingers (excluding the thumb). Hold briefly and release. Repeat five times.
Pinch Grip Practice: Pick up a pen from a table with your affected hand and place it back. Practice daily to improve grip and release strength.
Towel Wringing: Wring water out of a wet towel by twisting it from both ends. Start with a small towel and progress to a larger one for added challenge.
Finger-Spread Exercise: Wrap a rubber band around two fingers and open them outward to stretch the band, enhancing strength and flexibility.
4. Rotation and shifting exercises
This hand therapy exercise improves fine motor skills and dexterity. It involves two activities: rotating a pen between your fingers using the thumb and sliding a pen forward and backward between your fingers. Both exercises enhance finger coordination and control.
5. In-hand translation
This advanced hand therapy exercise is designed for stroke patients and individuals with arthritis to improve finger strength and coordination. It involves gathering 10 small objects like erasers, beans, or coins and picking them up one by one using your fingers. Instead of setting them down, hold all the objects in your palm at once.
After collecting all 10, practice moving each object individually from your fingertips to your palm while keeping the remaining objects securely in your hand.
6. Thumb tapping
This simple and foundational hand therapy exercise focuses on enhancing finger flexibility. To perform it, use your thumb to tap the tip of each finger, starting slowly and gradually increasing the speed. This activity helps develop motor skills and strengthens the fingers.
Why Do You Need Hand Therapy?
Hand therapy exercises are valuable for addressing various hand-related issues, including arthritis, stroke recovery, carpal tunnel syndrome, fractures, wrist pain, tendonitis, and repetitive stress injuries.
Benefits of handy therapy for arthritis:
Relieves joint pain in the fingers.
Improves hand mobility, strength, and agility, even if it doesn’t fully eliminate pain.
Significantly reduces dependency on medication and surgical interventions.
Supports bone density improvement and boosts muscle endurance.
Hand therapy is essential for recovery from nerve compression injuries, stroke, or brain injuries. It aids in regaining mobility and reduces the effects of paralysis and pain, even after surgery.
Hand therapy exercises for stroke patients are designed to enhance:
Hand, finger, and wrist mobility.
Wrist, finger, and hand strength.
Motor skills and coordination are required for both sides of body movements.
Hand therapy exercises like stretching, gripping, and releasing are crucial for improving hand strength, mobility, and stability. They have helped many patients regain functionality and return to normal life after losing hand or arm movement due to conditions like arthritis, stroke, or carpal tunnel syndrome. To learn more, reach out to Fresh Meadows Physical Therapy.
Request An Appointment
Please fill out this form and
we will contact you about scheduling.
By checking this box, I consent to receive transactional messages related to my account, orders, or services I have requested. These messages may include appointment reminders, order confirmations, and account notifications among others. Message frequency may vary. Message & Data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt-out.
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Stretching Exercises to Help Prevent Sports Injuries
June 13, 2025
Athletes are often told that, to avoid injury and keep in top condition, it is important to stretch. But, is this true? If so, which stretches are best before and after physical activity when it comes to preventing sports injuries?
In this article, we will explore 6 essential hand therapy exercises that can help you improve strength. Let’s delve deeper.
1. Wrist, finger, and thumb extension and flexion
Wrist, finger, and thumb extension and flexion exercises are beneficial for reducing stiffness and restoring movement in paralyzed hands following a stroke.
Wrist exercises involve moving the hand up and down at the wrist with the palm facing upward and downward. Finger exercises include forming a fist and extending the fingers straight, while thumb exercises focus on moving the thumb inward and outward to improve mobility.
Repeating these movements regularly aids recovery and enhances flexibility.
2. Wrist stretch
Wrist stretches are essential for improving hand flexibility, restoring movement, and preventing injuries in athletes. The exercise involves making a fist, bending the wrist backward and forward, holding each position briefly, and repeating daily for consistent recovery.
3. Grip strengthening
Grip-strengthening exercises are vital for improving finger strength and hand function, aiding in holding and releasing objects. Key exercises include:
Stress Ball Squeeze: Squeeze a stress ball inward with your fingers (excluding the thumb). Hold briefly and release. Repeat five times.
Pinch Grip Practice: Pick up a pen from a table with your affected hand and place it back. Practice daily to improve grip and release strength.
Towel Wringing: Wring water out of a wet towel by twisting it from both ends. Start with a small towel and progress to a larger one for added challenge.
Finger-Spread Exercise: Wrap a rubber band around two fingers and open them outward to stretch the band, enhancing strength and flexibility.
4. Rotation and shifting exercises
This hand therapy exercise improves fine motor skills and dexterity. It involves two activities: rotating a pen between your fingers using the thumb and sliding a pen forward and backward between your fingers. Both exercises enhance finger coordination and control.
5. In-hand translation
This advanced hand therapy exercise is designed for stroke patients and individuals with arthritis to improve finger strength and coordination. It involves gathering 10 small objects like erasers, beans, or coins and picking them up one by one using your fingers. Instead of setting them down, hold all the objects in your palm at once.
After collecting all 10, practice moving each object individually from your fingertips to your palm while keeping the remaining objects securely in your hand.
6. Thumb tapping
This simple and foundational hand therapy exercise focuses on enhancing finger flexibility. To perform it, use your thumb to tap the tip of each finger, starting slowly and gradually increasing the speed. This activity helps develop motor skills and strengthens the fingers.
Why Do You Need Hand Therapy?
Hand therapy exercises are valuable for addressing various hand-related issues, including arthritis, stroke recovery, carpal tunnel syndrome, fractures, wrist pain, tendonitis, and repetitive stress injuries.
Benefits of handy therapy for arthritis:
Relieves joint pain in the fingers.
Improves hand mobility, strength, and agility, even if it doesn’t fully eliminate pain.
Significantly reduces dependency on medication and surgical interventions.
Supports bone density improvement and boosts muscle endurance.
Hand therapy is essential for recovery from nerve compression injuries, stroke, or brain injuries. It aids in regaining mobility and reduces the effects of paralysis and pain, even after surgery.
Hand therapy exercises for stroke patients are designed to enhance:
Hand, finger, and wrist mobility.
Wrist, finger, and hand strength.
Motor skills and coordination are required for both sides of body movements.
Hand therapy exercises like stretching, gripping, and releasing are crucial for improving hand strength, mobility, and stability. They have helped many patients regain functionality and return to normal life after losing hand or arm movement due to conditions like arthritis, stroke, or carpal tunnel syndrome. To learn more, reach out to Fresh Meadows Physical Therapy.
Request An Appointment
Please fill out this form and
we will contact you about scheduling.
By checking this box, I consent to receive transactional messages related to my account, orders, or services I have requested. These messages may include appointment reminders, order confirmations, and account notifications among others. Message frequency may vary. Message & Data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt-out.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
