A Helping Hand - Healthmonitor · A Helping Hand Keep these exercises close—your hands will thank...
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A Helping Hand Keep these exercises close—your hands will thank you. When rheumatoid arthritis first strikes, it often shows up in the joints of the hands. In his book Too Young to Feel Old, rheumatologist Richard Blau offers these hand exercises, which may help maintain the range of motion in your fingers. (He doesn’t recommend doing these during a flare-up.) Ask your doctor if they could help you, and when and how often they should be performed. Walk Your Fingers Helps with grasping objects, playing musical instruments 1. Rest your hand on a flat surface, palm down (figure 1). 2. Move one finger at a time toward your thumb, starting with your index finger (figure 2). 3. Lift and move your middle finger toward your thumb (figure 3). 4. Lift and move your ring finger toward your thumb (figure 4). 5. Finally, move your little finger toward the thumb. 6. Don’t move your wrist or your thumb during this exercise. Repeat 3 times. 7. Repeat steps 1-6 with the other hand. 1 1 4 3 2 Richard H. Blau, MD Author, Too Young to Feel Old
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Transcript of A Helping Hand - Healthmonitor · A Helping Hand Keep these exercises close—your hands will thank...
A Helping HandKeep these exercises close—your hands will thank you.
When rheumatoid arthritis �rst strikes, it often shows up in the joints of the hands. In his
book Too Young to Feel Old, rheumatologist Richard Blau offers these hand exercises,
which may help maintain the range of motion in your �ngers. (He doesn’t recommend
doing these during a �are-up.) Ask your doctor if they could help you, and when and how
often they should be performed.
Walk Your FingersHelps with grasping objects, playing musical instruments
1. Rest your hand on a �at surface, palm down (�gure 1).
2. Move one �nger at a time toward your thumb, starting with your index �nger (�gure 2).
3. Lift and move your middle �nger toward your thumb (�gure 3).
4. Lift and move your ring �nger toward your thumb (�gure 4).
5. Finally, move your little �nger toward the thumb.
6. Don’t move your wrist or your thumb during this exercise. Repeat 3 times.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 with the other hand.1
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Richard H. Blau, MDAuthor,Too Young to Feel Old
Middle Knuckle (PIP Joint) Finger FlexionHelps with grasping objects, writing and maintaining yourgrip on eating utensils
1. Place back of hand on a table with the palm side up (�gure 1).
2. Immobilize the lower knuckle (the MCP joint) with the fore�nger of the opposite hand (�gure 1).
3. Bend the �nger from the middle joint to 90 degrees (�gure 2).
4. Repeat steps 1-3 ten times for each �nger of both the right and left hand.
Top Knuckle (DIP Joint) Finger FlexionHelps with grasping objects, writing and maintaining yourgrip on eating utensils
1. Place back of hand on a table with the palm side up (�gure 1).
2. Immobilize the middle knuckle (the PIP joint) with both the fore�nger and middle �nger of the opposite hand (�gure 1).
3. Bend the �nger from the end joint to 90 degrees (�gure 2).
4. Repeat steps 1-3 ten times for each �nger of both the right and left hand.
From the book Too Young to Feel Old by Richard H. Blau, MD, and E.A. Tremblay. Reprinted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2007.
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