| Hand exercises for stroke patients is the most | | | | seconds. Release. Repeat 5 times. |
| practical approach to hand recovery after stroke as it | | | | Once you're done stretching, here are hand activities |
| can be done at home. It is composed of a range of | | | | to practice your grip and enhance flexibility: |
| motions focused on one area, the hand, as with other | | | | 1. Practice counting with your fingers in sets of 5. From |
| exercises for stroke patients. Meant to retrain the | | | | a closed fist, count with the pinkie first going to the |
| brain, hand exercises should be done several times a | | | | thumb. Begin the next set of numbers with an open |
| day for mastery and to redevelop coordination. | | | | hand. Then close the hand to form a fist beginning with |
| Here are some hand stretching exercises, arranged | | | | the thumb going to the pinky. |
| sequentially, that you might want to try: | | | | 2. Form the letters of the alphabet using your hand. |
| 1. Massage the affected hand with the unaffected | | | | Also known as finger spelling, here's a chart you can |
| hand, beginning with the base of the thumb by the | | | | follow. |
| palm, to the tip of the thumb. Repeat for all fingers. | | | | 3. Crumple pieces of paper. Throw them all in the air |
| 2. Stretch each finger of the affected hand with the | | | | as you would with confetti, such that they fall on the |
| unaffected hand. You could also move each finger of | | | | table. Pick each crumpled paper and throw into a trash |
| the affected hand in circular motions with the | | | | can as you would in basketball. |
| unaffected hand. | | | | 4. Play pickup sticks or pickup objects of various sizes. |
| 3. Close and open the affected hand, beginning one | | | | 5. Play with a stress ball. |
| finger at a time until you form a fist and vice versa. | | | | If you had fun with these activities, you may also want |
| Alternate by closing and opening all fingers at the | | | | to read the book "Hand Recovery After Stroke: |
| same time to form a fist and vice versa. | | | | Exercises and Results Measurement", Smits JG, |
| 4. With palms face down on a flat surface, lift thumb | | | | Smits-Boon for more exercises. |
| and gently return to position. Repeat on all fingers. | | | | Remember, hand exercises should be started |
| 5. With palms face down again, lift hand while bringing | | | | gradually and reinforced regularly. Take your time in |
| each finger tip slowly gliding towards each other to a | | | | doing each exercise. Take care not to overdo it, |
| close. Reverse action. Repeat 5 times. | | | | though. Most of all, have fun with the hand exercises |
| 6. Stretch fingers as far as you can while palm is | | | | while listening to your favorite music. |
| faced down on flat surface. Hold in position for 5 | | | | |