10 Easy Hand Exercises for Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a painful and debilitating disease that can affect the joints in the hands. It causes deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the bones on the hands and fingers, leading to swelling, stiffness and pain. This can cause problems for people completing daily tasks and left untreated, can severely impact a person’s quality of life. While there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are several treatment options available. Different kinds of medication can help control symptoms and reduce pain, and there are tools and assistive devices available to help with day to day activities. Finally, physical therapy, such as specific hand exercises, can slow down the progression of the disease and strengthen the muscles of the hands, leading to greater mobility, flexibility, and a reduction in pain.

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that affects the protective cartilage of the joints in the body, such as the knees, hips, spine and fingers. It is the most common form of arthritis, affecting an estimated 2.2 million Australians, or over 9 per cent of the population.

Osteoarthritis is typically a disease seen in older people. This is because it occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of the cones deteriorates, which usually happens to everyone over time. Additionally, it deteriorates the connective tissues that attach muscle to bone and hold the joint together and causes inflammation of the joint lining. The combination of these symptoms can be painful and very debilitating.

Causes of osteoarthritis 

There is no single cause for osteoarthritis, but some people are more likely to suffer from this condition than others. The condition is hereditary, and some people with be genetically predisposed to developing osteoarthritis. Older age is also a serious factor in developing the disease. Some common risk factors that can increase the likelihood of experiencing osteoarthritis include: 

• Sex – women are more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis than men.
• Obesity – being overweight or obese puts additional pressure on your joints, increasing your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Additionally, too much fat tissue in the body can cause joint inflammation.
• Injuries – any injuries or damage to the joints can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. Repetitive stress on a joint, such as from a physical job or a sporting activity, can also increase the likelihood.  
• Bone deformities – problems with cartilage and malformed joints can lead to osteoarthritis.

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Often, the signs of osteoarthritis can be mistaken for just a normal part of the ageing process. Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly, and by the time a person is diagnosed, their joints have deteriorated faster than they would have if they had begun treatment earlier. If you have persistent joint pain or stiffness, it is important that you see a doctor.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body. It can affect both sides or just one – for example, it may only be present in your right hand if that’s the side you favour.

Some of the common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Stiffness – Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning or if you have been sitting for a long time.
• Joint pain – Pain and inflammation in the joint area.
• Tenderness in joints – Tenderness in your joints, such as when you apply pressure.
• Cracking noises in your joints – Popping or cracking noises in your joints, accompanied by a grating sensation.
• Lumps – Bone spurs, or little hard lumps of extra bone that form around the affected joint.

Diagnosis of osteoarthritis

When you go to your doctor to check on symptoms of osteoarthritis, there are several tests they may do to determine if you have the condition.

X-rays and MRIs can both be used to check the affected joint. An X-ray can reveal cartilage loss in the joints and check for bone spurs. An MRI will scan the cartilage, bones and soft tissue and can help to rule out other causes of your symptoms.

Blood tests will often be done to rule out other causes of your joint pain, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment for osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, and new cartilage cannot form in the affected joints. However, treatments and therapies can improve movement, reduce pain, and maintain quality of life.

Some medications commonly used to help with the symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Acetaminophen – This is usually used to help control pain.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – Over-the-counter NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, typically relieve osteoarthritis pain. Stronger NSAIDs are available by prescription.NSAID gels are available to apply to the skin over the affected joint.
• Duloxetine – This can assist with managing chronic pain, including osteoarthritis pain.

In some cases, injections or surgery may be needed to help manage the pain and other symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Injections of a corticosteroid into the affected joint can relieve pain. This involves an injection directly into the space within the joint. However, cortisone injections can only be administered three or four times a year.

Where a joint is seriously damaged, a doctor may recommend having the joint removed and replaced. Joint replacement surgery involves a plastic or metal joint being placed inside the body. These usually only last around ten years before wearing out and needing to be replaced.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy can be used to manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Regular gentle exercise has been shown to increase flexibility, strengthen the muscles around the affected joint, and reduce pain. Stronger muscles around the joint can improve symptoms by making the joint more stable. Exercise also helps people to lose weight, which can greatly reduce the pressure on your joints and relieve pain. Some low-impact exercise options that you may like to try include walking, swimming, water aerobics, yoga and cycling. If you find that your pain increases or you feel new joint pain after exercise, stop and try again with a different type of exercise or at a lower level of intensity.

Using specialised tools and household objects can also make day to day life much easier. There are many assistive devices available, including tools for gripping and grabbing, kitchen utensils in larger sizes, and more. You may like to speak to your doctor and other healthcare professionals about the devices that will be most suitable for you.

Heat and cold have been shown to relieve pain associated with arthritis, as well as manage swelling. Heat packs can be placed on the site of inflammation to ease pain and help the muscles in the area relax. Ice packs can also relieve aching and spasms. Remember not to use a cold pack for an extended period of time, and never apply ice directly to the skin.

If you find that your symptoms flare up after a specific activity – for example, knitting, typing, or gardening – it may be a good idea to limit the time you spend doing this thing or to find new ways of doing it in a way that places less stress on the joints in your hands. Taking breaks, and doing the exercises listed below, will assist you in being able to keep doing the things you love without experiencing too much pain.

Assistance for osteoarthritis 

If you are experiencing osteoarthritis in the hands or elsewhere in the body, you may require some extra support. Carers can assist you in a range of daily tasks, such as cooking meals, cleaning the home, bathing and toileting. Additionally, experienced carers know that when you live with a condition such as osteoarthritis, you will have days that you need more support than others as the pain comes and goes. They are there to support you as much as needed while allowing you to maintain your independence and sense of self.

10 exercises to reduce osteoarthritis hand pain

Osteoarthritis that affects the hands and fingers can be particularly debilitating. This is because we use our hands all day for a large range of tasks – getting dressed, cooking, picking up objects, and typing on a computer. If our fingers and hands are sore, stiff, or weakened, it can seriously affect our ability to look after ourselves and take part in normal activities.

Simple home exercises have been shown to reduce the pain and other symptoms of osteoarthritis in the hands. You can do any of the below exercises whenever you want, with no or minimal equipment. Aim to do at least a couple each day to build strength in the fingers and maintain a range of movement.

1. Finger bends

With your hand held out straight, spread out your fingers. Bend your index finger down towards your palm, as close to touching as you can get. Hold for two seconds, then release the straighten the finger again. Repeat for each finger. When you have finished one hand, try again on the other hand.

2. Thumb bend

Hold out your hand with fingers spread, as in the previous exercise. Bend your thumb inwards towards your palm, trying to make it touch the base of your little finger. Hold for two seconds, then release. Repeat this ten times with your thumb, and then repeat it on the other hand.

3. Finger lift

Please your hand flat on a table or other flat surface, with your fingers spread wide. One at a time, lift your finger up off the table as high as you can. Hold for two seconds before returning your finger to the table and trying the next finger. Repeat with the other hand. 

4. Make a fist

Begin with your hand out and fingers straight. Slowly curl your fingers to bend your hand into a fist. Your thumb can be placed around the outside of the fist. Don’t squeeze too hard. Slowly release and straighten your fingers again. Repeat this ten times, and then repeat with the other hand.

5. Make an O

Start with your hand out and fingers straight. Slowly curl your fingers in and down and your thumb in and up so they form an O shape when your fingers and thumb are touching. Hold this position for five seconds. Straighten your fingers and repeat on the other hand.

6. Wrist rolls

Hold your hand out with your fingers loose and natural. Slowly rotate your wrist in circles in a clockwise direction. After five turns, rotate in the other direction. Repeat, on the other hand.

7. Wrist stretch

Hold one hand out with your palm facing down. With the other hand, gently draw your fingers up and back to create a stretch through the underside of your wrist. Release and repeat in the other direction, gently pulling your fingers down and back. Hold the position for a few seconds each time. Repeat five times each way. Do the same exercises using the opposite hand.

8. Ball grip

Take a small, soft ball, such as a stress ball or tennis ball. Holding the ball in one hand, squeeze it as hard as you can for a few seconds. Release the ball and repeat the exercise. If this causes pain, make sure you check in with your doctor. Repeat the exercise with the other hand.

9. Ball roll

With the same small ball, place it on a flat surface such as a table or benchtop and place your hand over the ball with your palm flat. Use your hand to roll the ball around the table, ensuring it touches your whole palm and each finger. Roll back and forwards, side to side, and in circles. Repeat the exercise with the other hand.

10. Finger stretch

Lay on hand on a flat surface and spread your fingers. Use the opposite hand to apply pressure and stretch out each finger gently. Press down on the joints of the fingers for thirty seconds. Repeat the exercise with the other hand.

Osteoarthritis in the hands can be difficult to manage, especially when the condition causes large amounts of pain and stiffness. However, completing a regime of hand exercises on a regular basis can greatly improve symptoms and quality of life more broadly. Working with an experienced physiotherapist can assist you in finding the exercises and other tools you need to live with osteoarthritis.