If you suffer from painful joints, increased joint wear, or painful inflammation in the joints, you usually resort to chondroitin or glucosamine very quickly. These are agents that are approved for the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis. Because they are safe to use, these products are available over the counter as dietary supplements, which represent high-quality joint nutrition and are important for building collagen.
Painful hands – what to do?
Arthritis wears down the joint cartilage, which acts as a cushion between the bones, piece by piece. The result is irritation and inflammation of the synovial membrane, which is responsible for the production of synovial fluid. This fluid is used to protect and lubricate the joints.
Arthritis in the wrists usually leads to stiffness and pain. If the hands are used for repetitive tasks, this pain can become much worse. Furthermore, over time, there can also be a loss of strength to no longer do simple things yourself.
Arthrosis of the finger joint – cause and treatment
Such hand arthritis can be treated in a number of ways. One can
- take oral pain relievers
- receive a steroid injection directly into the joint
- to carry a rail for support
If none of these measures are successful, then in many cases, an operation is carried out so that the damaged joint can be repaired. Before it gets that far, there are a few things you can do at home to relieve the pain and keep disabilities as low as possible. The simplest, non-invasive method is to improve joint mobility by doing regular hand exercises.
Exercise 1 – Make a fist
This simple exercise can be performed anytime, anywhere if the hand begins to feel stiff.
- To begin with, hold your left hand straight outward with all your fingers.
- Then you slowly bend your hand into a fist and place your thumb on the outside of the hand. Do not squeeze your hand too tightly.
- Now open your hand again until all fingers are straight.
This exercise is done 10 times with the left hand before repeating the same thing with the right hand.
Exercise 2 – Finger flexion
- You start with the same position as in exercise 1, but keep your hand straight up.
- Now bend your thumb down to the palm of your hand and hold this position for a few seconds.
- The thumb is straightened up again.
- Next, bend the index finger towards the palm and hold it for a few seconds before raising a finger again.
- Repeat this with each finger of the hand.
The same exercise with the right hand follows.
Exercise 3 – Flex your thumb
- First, keep all fingers of your left hand straight.
- Now bend your thumb towards the palm of your hand.
- This involves stretching the thumb to the underside of the little finger. If you don’t get there, just bend as far as you can.
- Hold this position for 2 to 3 seconds, and then return to the starting position with your thumb.
- Repeat the exercise 10 times.
The same exercise with the right hand follows.
Exercise 4 – Make an O.
- Turn your left hand outwards with your straight fingers.
- Now all fingers are curved inward until they touch. The fingers should be in the shape of an O.
- This position is held for a few seconds before raising the fingers again.
This exercise can be repeated several times a day with either hand. This stretching makes sense whenever the hands hurt or feel stiff.
Exercise 5 – Table bend
- Here you put the little finger of the left hand with the thumb up on the table.
- Hold your thumb in this position while bending your other fingers inward, making an L with your hand.
- This position is held for a few seconds before straightening the fingers and bringing them back to the starting position.
This exercise is repeated 10 times before doing it analogously with the right hand.
Exercise 6 – Finger lift
- Here, the left hand is placed flat on the table with the palm of the hand.
- You start with your thumb and then slowly lift each finger off the table.
- Each finger is held for 1 or 2 seconds before being lowered again.
- The exercise is done with each finger of the left hand.
After 10 repetitions, the entire exercise is done with the right hand.
Exercise 7 – Straighten your wrist
- In any case, you can neglect your wrists, because arthritis also stiffens them and makes them difficult to move.
- To exercise the wrist, stretch out your right arm with the palm of your hand facing down.
- You gently push your right hand down with your left hand until you feel a stretch in your wrist and arm.
- This position is held for a few seconds.
All exercises should be part of a daily routine as this is the only way to achieve the best results.
If these exercises are too difficult and painful, you should talk to your doctor, who is sure to know about other exercises or can recommend another treatment.
