The 6 best hand and wrist exercises for office workers

According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, about two thirds of European workers report that they have to perform repetitive hand and arm movements, which are important risk factors for the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper extremities (so-called TMOLCES). A large number of workers in various sectors suffer from TMOLCES, which are the most common work-related disease in Europe and account for more than 45% of all occupational diseases.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper extremities are disorders of body structures such as muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, bones and the circulatory system, caused or aggravated primarily by work and the work environment. Symptoms of TMOLCES can take a long time to develop and can manifest themselves in the form of pain, discomfort, numbness and tingling. People with TMOLCES may experience swelling in the joints, decreased mobility or grip strength, and discoloration of the skin on the hands or fingers.

Office workers, for example, spend most of their time repeating the same movement, such as typing on the keyboard, using the mouse and swiping on touch screens. These seemingly innocent gestures when done thousands of times a day are precisely what lead to disabilities such as carpal tunnel and other musculoskeletal disorders. If left untreated, they can lead to serious problems.

For office workers who spend a lot of time at the computer, simple hand exercises can be effective in preventing or even treating minor hand and wrist injuries. Most importantly, it's free, easy to perform and takes very little time.

Here are 6 hand and wrist exercises that computer users should practice:

1. Shake hands.
Shaking the wrist and hands after staying in the same position for a while is an excellent way to reintroduce blood flow and relieve joint stiffness:

  • Start with your hands outstretched in front of you and palms facing the floor.
  • Shake your hands slowly, letting your wrist loosen.
  • Continue for 10-15 seconds.
  • Repeat up to three times.

2. Open and close hands.
This is an excellent method of stretching the entire hand. This helps relieve joint and muscle stiffness:

  • Start with your hands in front of you and palms down.
  • Make a fist with both hands.
  • Open your fist halfway so that your finger is bent at the knuckles Hold for two seconds.
  • Open hands wide so that all five fingers are straight and spread apart. Hold for 2 seconds.
  • Re-clench the fist and repeat the routine again.
  • Repeat the routine five times.

3. Thumb touches.
Thumb touches help increase coordination in the thumb and index finger, and also help reintroduce blood flow back to the area:

  • Hold your hands outward with palms facing the ceiling.
  • With the right hand, slowly bring the thumb to touch the tip of each finger.
  • Repeat on the other side.
  • Return to the initial position.
  • Repeat five times with both hands.

4. Thumb Stretch.
The thumb flexion and extension stretch is an excellent way to specifically work the thumb, which can become stiff during long work days:

  • Start with your hands outstretched in front of you and palms facing outward.
  • Slowly extend the thumb over the palm until you feel a stretch.
  • Hold this stretch for ten seconds, then release back to the starting position.
  • Repeat this stretch ten times with both hands.

5. Basic Wrist Stretching.
Basic wrist stretching is an excellent way to relieve stiffness in the wrist joints, especially after long days of typing on the computer:

  • Hold your right hand in front of you with the palm facing up.
  • Grasp the four fingers with the opposite hand.
  • Gently pull the fingers towards the ground.
  • Hold the stretch for ten seconds, then release the hand back to the starting position.
  • Repeat with the left hand, holding for ten seconds.
  • Repeat the exercise five times.

6. Wrist flexion and extension.
This is a direct way to stretch the wrist, which can help increase blood flow to the entire area and prevent problems such as carpal tunnel.

  • Start in a seated position with both feet flat on the floor.
  • Rest one arm on the edge of your desk, palm down and the whole hand hanging off the edge. Cushion your wrist with a small towel if you feel more comfortable.
  • Gently stretch your hand at the wrist upward toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch.
  • Hold this stretch for fifteen seconds, then release back to the starting position.
  • Then gently flex the hands at the wrist again down toward the floor until you feel a stretch.
  • Repeat the stretch three times in both directions.
  • Change hands and repeat with the other hand.

Start taking a proactive approach.

In the last forty years, work has gone from manual to technological. Those who once pulled and moved heavy loads in factories and warehouses are now typing on computer keyboards. While this break from hard manual labor is a celebration for our spine, today's worker has to deal with significant pain in their hands and wrists.

There is enough evidence on the benefits of manual exercises that you should start incorporating them into your daily routine. Just a few minutes a day can relieve initial pain and ailments, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive motion injuries or musculoskeletal disorders.

If, in addition, you can combine these exercises with your special Theragun daily wrist routine, your pain will be significantly reduced.

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