How To Strengthen and Stretch Stiff Parkinson’s Hands Using an Easy, Cheap Tool

Last week I showed you how to do myofascial release to help the stiffness caused by Parkinson’s. This week I want to show you how to use ordinary rubber bands to strengthen and stretch your hands.

There are many hand exercise products on the market. Some are squishy balls you grip, but for most people with Parkinson’s their hands are already in a flexed position. What you really need to do is EXTEND your hands.

The hand resistance tools you can buy are usually pretty hard to manage if you have a tremor and/or flexed, stiff hands. They are also very high resistance and can be really difficult for people with weak, sore hands to use. They also require you to fit your fingers in the tiny loops.

Watch this video to learn how to strengthen and stretch stiff Parkinson’s hands using an easy cheap tool:  

Today’s exercises are simple. All you need is a rubber band or a hair scrunchie!

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place the band around all of your fingers, and extend them out and apart as wide as you can.

• Try different thicknesses of bands until you find one that will allow you to extend your fingers all the way out.

• Next, move the band so it is only around your thumb and index finger (put an extra loop around the index finger to help it stay and create a little more resistance). Separate and extend these two fingers.

• Try moving it to other fingers, like the index and thumb.

• You can also put it on other fingers, like the index and little finger.

• You can also extend it across the back to the hand and expend the fingers that way.
• Do each position 10X. If tolerated, you can do this daily to stretch and strengthen your hands.

I encourage you to complete the exercises above, then add in this hand myofascial exercise too:  https://youtu.be/fq7FsCv80I4

Take care of your hands, you need them!

💜 Kimberly