HOW: Start with your wrist in a neutral position with your fingers together and straight. Then perform clockwise and/or counter-clockwise circles with your thumb. Focus on motion coming from the base of your thumb.

 

FEEL: You will feel your thumb muscles on the inside of your palm below your thumb.

 

COMPENSATION: Focus on quality of movement and performing big, slow circles without moving anything else. 

HOW: Start with your wrist in a neutral position and your fingers spread apart. Then move your thumb towards a fingertip, return to starting position, and repeat on the next finger. You can start from the pinky side or index finger side.

 

FEEL: You will feel your thumb and hand muscles working.

 

COMPENSATION: Try to focus on controlling thumb movement and accuracy with the fingertip taps. 

HOW: Start with your wrist in a neutral position and your fingers and thumb together with them straight. Now spread your fingers and thumb as far as you can from one another, hold for a moment, then return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: You will feel your finger and hand muscles working.

 

COMPENSATION: Try to focus on controlling finger and thumb movement with an emphasis on fine control and accuracy.

HOW: Get set-up sitting upright with a surface next to you to support your elbow and forearm. With your elbow flexed to 90˚, position your forearm in a neutral position and your wrist in 20-30˚ of extension with your thumb facing up, and have your hand unsupported at the edge of the surface. While maintaining your wrist position, squeeze a rolled up towel or another object in your hand working on grip strength. See video for more tips and instructions.

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles on top of your forearm working as well as other muscles in your forearm and hand to help with gripping the object. You may feel tension on the outside of your elbow as well.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not lose elbow or wrist position, do not lift your arm off the surface.