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Who can use these movements?
These examples aim to maintain or regain comfortable movements. They are not a single treatment for all arm and hand pain. A person bothered by mild stiffness does not have the same needs as someone with a compressed nerve, fracture or tendon injury.
Before you begin, check that the movement is permitted in your situation. After surgery, fracture, dislocation, mallet finger or skier's thumb, use the team program. Do not remove an orthopaedic splint to try an exercise on this page. If you are unsure of the cause of a recent loss of movement, seek an evaluation first.
Chapter sources [1] [2] [3] [4]
Understand the picture
Choose, dose, observe
Choose
A useful and authorized movement for your situation.
Dose
A small amount, with no added resistance initially.
Observe
The immediate reaction, after the activity and the next day.
Choose a small useful amount
Choose one or two movements corresponding to a real difficulty, in a calm and stable environment. NHS Inform advice suggests starting with two to three repetitions, then gradually increasing. For this sheet, two or three short occasions during the day constitute a prudent example to adapt, not a mandatory frequency.
A repetition corresponds to a back and forth, except for the thumb where a small series of contacts constitutes a cycle. The movement should remain slow, without added weight at the start. The cards below describe the position, movement, dose and stopping criteria. You can select the useful movements to prepare your sheet; the selection does not constitute a medical prescription.
Your exercise sheet
Select the movements you would like to discuss with your physiotherapist. Your sheet includes the illustrations, steps and precautions from this page.
Exercises selected: 0
Choose at least one exercise to prepare your sheet.
1: Starting position. 2: Example of the movement, without forcing. The drawing simplifies the movement; follow the written steps and restrictions.
Gently bend and straighten your elbow
- Starting position
- Sit or stand stably. Keep your arm close to your body, your shoulder relaxed and your hand empty.
- Movement
- Slowly bend your elbow to bring your hand closer to your shoulder at a comfortable range, then come back down without pushing at the end of the movement. A round trip makes a repetition.
- Starting amount
- Start with 2 to 3 repetitions, on 2 or 3 short occasions during the day if it remains well tolerated. Add 1 or 2 repetitions every few days only if the reaction and the next day remain satisfactory.
- Take care
- Do not raise your shoulder to gain range of movement. After fracture, operation or repair of the triceps, only do this movement if it is authorized. Do not maintain a flexion which increases the tingling.
- When to stop
- Stop if you experience sharp pain, blockage, new swelling, persistent tingling, or loss of strength. Ask for medical advice if the discomfort remains worse the next day.
Chapter sources [2]
1: Starting position. 2: Example of the movement, without forcing. The drawing simplifies the movement; follow the written steps and restrictions.
Turn palm up and down
- Starting position
- Sit with your elbow bent close to your body and your forearm supported if necessary, without painful pressure on the tip of your elbow. Keep the wrist in alignment.
- Movement
- Slowly rotate the forearm to face the palm up, then down, to the comfortable range. Avoid replacing the movement with a large rotation of the shoulder.
- Starting amount
- Do 2 to 3 back and forths at the start, at 2 or 3 short intervals if it remains comfortable. Increase by 1 or 2 reps every few days depending on response, without adding weight.
- Take care
- Do not force with the other hand. After fracture of the radius, ligament injury or operation, check that this rotation is permitted. A small range of movement is acceptable at first.
- When to stop
- Stop if you experience sharp pain, a feeling of giving way, a blockage or new changes in sensation. A lasting worsening requires reviewing the dose and, if it persists, seeking advice.
1: Starting position. 2: Example of the movement, without forcing. The drawing simplifies the movement; follow the written steps and restrictions.
Move the wrist with the forearm supported
- Starting position
- Place your forearm on a table, palm down, with your hand just beyond the edge. Keep fingers relaxed and hold no weight.
- Movement
- Gently raise your hand then lower it slowly to a comfortable range. The forearm remains rested. Do not push the wrist with the other hand.
- Starting amount
- Start with 2 to 3 round trips, on 2 or 3 short occasions if this is well tolerated. Gradually add 1 or 2 repetitions every few days, without worsening the next day.
- Take care
- This movement should not be done on a recently injured wrist that has not been assessed or is still immobilized. If you have carpal tunnel, reduce or avoid positions that cause numbness.
- When to stop
- Stop if sharp pain, persistent tingling, increased swelling, or loss of strength occurs. Seek advice if exercise makes symptoms worse overall.
1: Starting position. 2: Example of the movement, without forcing. The drawing simplifies the movement; follow the written steps and restrictions.
Open and close your hand without squeezing
- Starting position
- Support the forearm and keep the wrist in a comfortable position. Start with relaxed fingers, no tight rings or objects to squeeze.
- Movement
- Gently open the fingers, then curl them toward the palm to form a soft fist. Return to the open hand without pulling with the other hand. Do not try to close completely if this requires force.
- Starting amount
- Try 2 to 3 cycles, at 2 or 3 short intervals if the reaction remains good. Add 1 or 2 repetitions every few days when it becomes easy; no ball is needed.
- Take care
- Do not do this exercise with a mallet finger or repaired tendon that needs to remain protected. In case of trigger finger, avoid crossing a painful blockage. Follow the instructions for immobilized joints.
- When to stop
- Stop if a finger becomes blocked, sharp pain occurs, or swelling and sensitivity increase. Do not straighten a trapped finger by pulling hard.
1: Starting position. 2: Example of the movement, without forcing. The drawing simplifies the movement; follow the written steps and restrictions.
Gently touch fingers with thumb
- Starting position
- Support your forearm with your palm facing you or upwards. Keep fingers relaxed and wrist comfortable.
- Movement
- Approach the tip of the thumb to that of the index finger, then the other fingers that you can reach easily. Make light contact, without strong force, then release. Do not pull the thumb with the other hand.
- Starting amount
- Start with 2 to 3 small contact cycles, at 2 or 3 short intervals if this remains well tolerated. Add 1 or 2 cycles every few days depending on your comfort and reaction the next day.
- Take care
- After a skier’s thumb injury, an operation or instructions to immobilize the thumb, wait for your team’s permission. With thumb osteoarthritis or De Quervain’s, reduce the range if the contact causes pain; do not force the thumb to reach the little finger.
- When to stop
- Stop if you experience sharp pain, sticking, increased swelling or new tingling. Have the movement adapted if the symptoms remain stronger afterwards or the next day.
Understanding the response to exercise
Mild temporary discomfort may occur when movement is resumed. It must remain bearable, calm down and not leave an overall worsening the next morning. Sharp pain, blockage, or an increasing electrical sensation are not training goals.
If the reaction is too strong, reduce the range of movement, repetitions or speed, and allow more rest. If this happens again despite a small dose, seek advice. Don't try to achieve a specific pain score to prove that the exercise is effective. A new weakness or loss of sensation requires assessment rather than simply reducing the number of repetitions.
Progress without increasing everything at once
When the dose becomes easy and the symptoms are not worse the next day, you can add one or two repetitions every few days. Keep the same range of movement or frequency at the beginning so you know what you are changing. This benchmark must remain compatible with the instructions received.
It is not necessary to reach a large number to benefit from a regular practice. A load, an elastic band or a firmer ball changes the nature of the effort and is discussed separately. For tendinopathy, osteoarthritis or a return to sport, a targeted strength program can be useful, but its direction, resistance and progression must correspond to the examination.
Exercises do not replace all treatments
These movements alone do not reliably relieve significant carpal tunnel nerve compression, do not make a Dupuytren's cord disappear or empty a ganglion. They also do not treat an infection. Their role is to support a function or stage of recovery when appropriate.
For a trigger finger, avoid repeating a movement that causes painful catching. For elbow bursitis, do not place all weight on the swollen pouch. For CRPS, individualized practice may be necessary. The same card can be useful to one person and temporarily contraindicated to another: the context matters more than the name of the movement.
Connecting movements to daily life
An exercise is most useful when it prepares for an activity that matters to you. Bending the elbow can help bring the hand to the face; turning the palm prepares certain holds; moving the thumb can help manipulate small objects. This does not mean that a heavy task is immediately authorized.
Then start with a light, short version of the activity, if it is compatible with your situation. For example, holding a lightly filled cup does not require the same force as a saucepan. Observe the reaction and follow the protective instructions. The total amount of the day also includes work, household chores and leisure, not just exercise.
In everyday life
A progression that remains readable
Starting point
Two or three repetitions of a chosen movement.
Verification
No overall worsening afterwards or the next day.
Progression
One or two additional repetitions after a few days if it remains suitable.
When to stop and seek help
Stop the movement if you experience new sharp pain, blockage, a significant increase in swelling or tingling that persists. A new loss of strength or sensation should be evaluated. A cold or discolored hand, especially after an accident or under immobilization, requires urgent help.
Do not continue on a red, hot and very painful joint or if you have a fever and are unwell. If the pain increases overall despite adaptations, seek advice. For a slight difficulty already assessed, the lack of progress over the weeks also warrants a review, without waiting for this period when the signs change.
Use your exercise sheet and prepare for follow-up
The sheet allows you to keep the chosen movements and their instructions. Review the precautions on each card before practicing; an image simplifies the movement and does not show all the possible restrictions. The clinician can help you choose exercises and adjust the quantity.
Note a simple marker: easier movement, new activity or reaction the next day. Bring this information to the next appointment. If you received a program after surgery or fracture, keep it as your main reference. The goal is to build an understandable and adapted practice, not to succeed in all the cards or to compare your repetitions to those of another person.
Your questions
Should I do all five exercises every day?
No. One or two adapted movements may be enough at first. The choice depends on your difficulties and restrictions. The five cards do not form a universal prescription; some may be temporarily unsuitable for your injury.
Chapter sources [1]
Do I need to add a ball or weight for this to work?
Not at first. The cards are mainly about movement. Adding resistance requires an appropriate objective and dose, particularly after an injury or for tendinopathy. A strong grip can aggravate a trigger finger or strain a repair.
Does discomfort during exercise mean I am injured?
Not automatically. Mild and brief discomfort may accompany a resumption, but it must remain bearable and not generally worsen the symptoms the next day. Sharp pain, blockage, new weakness or sensory disturbances change the course of action.
Chapter sources [1]
Can I use the sheet after an operation?
Only for movements authorized by your team. The program after tendon repair, fracture or ligament of the thumb can impose very precise positions. The general sheet should not replace these instructions nor lead to the removal of a protective orthopaedic splint.
Sources and references
- [1] NHS Inform: Exercises for wrist, hand and finger problems
- [2] NHS Inform · Exercises for elbow problems
- [3] BSSH: Mallet finger injury
- [4] BSSH: Skier’s thumb
- [5] AAOS · Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, clinical practice guideline (2024)
- [6] BSSH: Dupuytren’s disease
- [7] BSSH: Ganglion cysts
- [8] BSSH: Trigger finger/thumb
- [9] AAOS OrthoInfo: Olecranon bursitis
- [10] NHS · Complex regional pain syndrome: treatment
- [11] NHS: Wrist pain
- [12] NHS: Broken arm or wrist
- [13] BSSH: Extensor tendon injury
- [14] Cambridge University Hospitals NHS · Hand therapy: active thumb exercises
- [15] University Hospitals Sussex NHS · Range of movement hand exercises
- [16] CGDIS · Appeler le 112
Text updated on
Medical review: awaiting Hasib Selimovic.