Most of us are spending much more time on our laptops as home-office workers since Covid-19 has spread around and we are at home. Moreover, we not only spend time online for work on our laptops, but we also spend more time on our computers to socialize, as well. This causes some muscle and joint pain in our hands and wrists and may cause edema problems. On the other hand, repetitive actions (such as typing and controlling the mouse) may also cause serious problems like RSI (repetitive strain injury) or carpal tunnel syndrome when they are done thousands of times a day. Research has shown that 1.8 million workers suffer from RSI per year. It is also found that half of the workers with computers in Sweden are affected by RSI, in addition to the fact that in Australia, even 60% of children complain about wrist problems.
Also, 6.7% of US workers will suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome in their lifetime. More than that, there are lots of hand and wrist problems that arise from repetitive actions. Here are some of those problems that are caused by using the computer too much.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Repetitive Stress or Repetitive Motion Injuries (RSI)
- Posterior cervical dorsal syndrome (“Mouse shoulder” or “Computer Back”)
- Lumbar sprains and strains
- Tennis elbow
- Disc injuries
Since it may not be possible to be away from computers completely, it becomes much more important to find the best hand and wrist exercises to minimize or prevent these problems.
Benefits of Wrist and Hand Exercises
Even if you don’t suffer from any pain or injury in your wrists or hands, practicing some exercises can help you prevent the probability of having bigger problems.
Exercising may help to strengthen your hand and wrist muscles. Finding the best hand and wrist exercises and practicing them regularly makes your fingers more flexible. Furthermore, exercising the hands and wrists emphasizes joint health and increases mobility and stability that becomes weaker with age, as well.
Here are some of the best hand and wrist exercises you can perform while you give yourself a break from the computer.
1. Wrist Flexion and Extension
Wrist flexion and extension means moving your hands up and down from the wrist joint when your fingers are tall. This exercise directly stimulates your wrist area and increases blood flow. It also prevents problems like carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI in the long term as well.
- Stretch out your hands to the front.
- Stretch your hand upwards until you feel a nice stretch while inhaling.
- Hold this stretch for a while exhaling, release, and go back to the starting point.
- Stretch your hand down as you inhale.
- Hold while exhaling and release again.
- Repeat this at least 5 times.
2. Wrist Flexion with a Fist
This exercise is basically the same movement of the wrist joint but should be practiced by making a fist with your hand. When you practice this exercise, it stimulates your entire arm.
- Stretch out your hands parallel to the floor.
- Make fists with your hands and stretch them downward while inhaling until you feel a nice stretch on your arm.
- Hold this stretch for a while, then go back to the starting point by exhaling.
- Repeat this at least 5 times.
3. Shaking Your Hands Out
Shaking your hands out is the simplest exercise that may be used when working on the computer. This exercise also helps to relieve stiff joints.
- Stretch out your hands to the front.
- Release any tension that you may have in your fingers.
- Slowly shake your hands out by letting your wrist move gently.
4. Drawing Circles
Drawing circles with any part of your body help to relieve any tension in that body part. When drawing a circle with your fist, it stimulates the muscle joints on your wrists that are not used often while working.
- Stretch out your hands parallel to the floor.
- Make a fist with your hands and start to draw a circle in one direction while you are breathing.
- Reverse the circle.
5. Table Press
Pressing the table with the back of your hands and palms builds strength in the muscles between your wrists and elbows.
- Put your hands on the table while palms face up.
- Press the table with the back of your hands while inhaling.
- Release when exhaling
- Place your hands under the table, palms up.
- Press the table with your palms while inhaling. This will strengthen your forearms.
6. Touching Thumbs
Touching each finger to your thumb increases coordination between finger joints, helps to stimulate that area, and increases blood flow.
- Put your hands on the table, palms up.
- Gently bring your thumb to the tip of each finger. Touch and press slowly.
- Do the same sequence with your other hand as well.
- Repeat this at least 5 times with both hands.
7. Squeezing
Squeezing something, like a tennis ball or grip, is a great exercise to strengthen your wrists.
- Put your forearms on the table.
- Grip something and squeeze gently while breathing.
- Hold the squeeze for a while.
- Release everything.
- Do this at least 5 times with both hands.
The exercises that strengthen and stretch your hands and wrist may vary, however, if you practice these seven hand and wrist exercises, then you can help prevent the problems that may occur in the long term in your wrists or hands from long term computer use. If you are looking for more hand and wrist exercises, you can check out this quick joint-freeing series from Jana-Long that will really help you to boost not only your hands and wrists but also your whole body and your mood while you are working.
