Hand Exercises for a Massage Therapist

Massage therapists' hands are their most important tools. Keeping hands and lower forearms in shape will help prevent injuries on the job. Massage therapists work long hours and use their hands and lower forearm muscles in every motion. Very basic exercises will help a massage therapist avoid injury, keep her muscles toned and warm up hand muscles to provide a better massage for clients.

Squeezing Putty or a Ball

• Squeezing hand putty or a soft, squishy ball in regular intervals helps improve the grip and lower forearm strength. It also increases circulation in the hands and stretches muscles in the hand and forearm.

Point-to-Point Stretching

• Touching each finger to the thumb on that hand boosts circulation and stretches some of the smaller muscles. The exercise should begin with the little finger and move inward. This should be followed by by stretching the fingers as wide as as they can be spread. Both stretches should be performed four or five times.

Rolling Pin

• Rolling a rolling pin, or a rolled up towel, forward and backward stretches the fingers and forearms. Roll from the tips of the fingers all the way down to the middle of the forearm and back. This exercise also helps loosen the shoulders and upper back, which can become injured if not stretched properly.