With arthritis in the fingers and hands, as with any form of arthritis, it is important to keep the joints moving. Regular exercise strengthens and supports the muscles around the affected joints. Through movement, nutrients and waste products are transported through the cartilage that protects the bones.
Regular exercise improves the strength of the affected joints, alleviates the symptoms of arthritis and helps to develop a positive inner attitude.
It is wrong to put one-sided strain on the diseased joints on a permanent basis. A variety of different movement exercises is necessary for the flexibility and maintenance of the cartilage. A distinction is made between exercises to extend the range of motion, muscle-strengthening exercises and endurance exercises.
Gentle and careful stretching exercises are used to gradually increase the range of movement of each individual finger. Daily exercises prevent stiffness and deformities.
Muscle-strengthening exercises include isometric and isotonic exercises. Isometric exercises strengthen the muscles without moving the joints, which is particularly important for patients whose mobility is already severely restricted. Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscle through movement.
Endurance exercises are all exercises in which the heart rate is increased for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This improves the general resilience of the body and the coronary arteries. These exercises should be done at least three times a week.
Movement exercises for hands and fingers
1. stretch your hand out flat and keep your fingers together. Now bend your fingers in the centre, keeping your wrist and knuckles straight. Slowly stretch your fingers out again to the starting position. Repeat this exercise a few times with both hands.
2. hold your fingers together and hold them in a curved position for 10 seconds. Then slowly extend your fingers. Repeat twice.
3 Loosen the hand. Stretch out and spread your fingers. Now clench your hand into a tight fist. Then loosen the fist again and spread the fingers again. The fist should be tight but not squeeze the fingers too tightly together.
4. stretch out your hand and spread your fingers as wide as possible. Slowly loosen your fingers and bring them together. Then return to the spread position. Repeat the exercises twice and gradually increase the number of repetitions.
5. keep your wrist straight and stretch your fingers. Curl your thumb towards your palm and hold it there for 5 seconds while the other fingers remain straight. Then stretch the thumb out again. Do this with each finger individually. Repeat this exercise twice a day.
6. stretch your wrist, fingers and thumb upwards. Make the O-shaped OK sign with your index finger and thumb and hold this position for 5 to 20 seconds. Repeat this exercise twice a day up to 10 times.
7. place your hand on a flat surface and spread your fingers slightly apart. Now lift the index finger and place it closer to the thumb. Then lift the middle finger and place it closer to the index finger, then the ring finger and the little finger. The wrist must remain in position during the exercise.
