Often people with Parkinson’s will ask me to help them strengthen their hands or to help them be able to grip better. The problem isn’t strength. The problem is that Parkinson’s is causing too much flexion (gripping position) and tightness making it harder to extend (straighten). If you can’t extend your fingers, you can’t bring them around items and hold them. It’s a common problem, so I created a series of videos to really help Parkinson’s stiff hands.
The tools in this article are everyday household items, so you can do these exercises daily. You will certainly notice a difference!
Here are the 4 Great Extension Exercises Using Everyday Household Items to Really Help Parkinson’s Stiff Hands:
- Place your hand flat, palm down on a table and extend fingers. Try to lift the fingers off the table together, then one at a time.
- Drape your hand, palm-down over a softball. Try to extend your fingers out and up.
- With your elbow on the table, drape your wrist (facing downward) over a can or water bottle and extend the hand upward. Do this both with the fingers extended and curled in a loose fist.
- Using a large roll of electrical or packaging tape (roll should be big enough to allow only the first knuckle of your finger to extend round it) place your hand over the roll. Curl fingers around it, and them extend them open.
Do each of these exercises 10 – 20 times on each hand daily. You can do these while you watch TV or anytime you are sitting at a table. Keep your hands moving, you need them!
- 💜 Kimberly