Mobility Exercises for Arthritic Wrist

According to the Arthritis Foundation website, arthritis afflicts nearly 20 percent of Americans and is the main cause of disability in people over the age of 15. The condition is characterized by pain, swelling and redness that may be created by tissue injury or disease in the joints. The wrist is a common joint that can be afflicted by arthritis. There are many exercises that can be done to help improve mobility in arthritic wrists. Exercises, such as gently stretching, assist to keep the joints mobile for a person with arthritis.

Chinese Hand Balls

• The Chinese Holistic Health Exercises website recommends using Chinese hand health balls, also known as qi gong balls, to help with arthritic wrists. The balls can be found in various sizes and are composed of different materials, including steel, jade or marble.

  While sitting or standing, hold the balls in your hand. Keep your forearm parallel with the floor. If you are just starting, use two balls and move to more as you get more proficient with the technique. With your fingers, maneuver the balls around your palm. Move the balls in one direction, then move them in the opposite direction.

  At first this may be hard, but with practice you should be able to maneuver them around efficiently. The balls should be touching each other, but not slam into each other.

  When first starting, practice up to two minutes per hand. Do not practice over hard surfaces as the balls are fragile.

Massage Rings

• The Chinese Holistic Health Exercises website also recommends using massage rings to increase mobility in arthritic wrists. Massage rings come in various sizes and are composed of rubber and contain small massage protuberances on the outside.

  Put the ring in a hand. Slowly and steadily squeeze and release. In the opposite hand, repeat the same procedure of squeezing and releasing. At the start, do up to 15 squeezes per hand. Repeat two or three times daily.

Active Hand Exercise

• The University of Washington School of Medicine recommends gentle stretching exercises called the "Six Pack" to help increase wrist mobility.

  For the first exercise, form a tabletop with your fingers by keeping your wrist and middle finger joints straight and only bend at the knuckles. Relax and then do the exercise again.

  A second active hand exercise is to keep your knuckles and wrist straight, bend and then straighten the top of the middle joints of the fingers. Rest and then do the exercise again.

  A third active hand exercise is to form a fist, making sure each joint bends as much as possible.

  A fourth technique is to stretch your fingers as much as possible. Relax your fingers and try again.

  A fifth gentle stretching exercise is to form the letter "O" by having each finger touch the thumb one at a time. After each finger makes contact, open your hand wide.

  A sixth gentle stretching exercise is to relax your hand on a table with your palm facing down. Move your fingers apart and then bring them back together. Relax and then do the exercise once more.

Other Exercises

• Another exercise to increase mobility in the wrist is the "hi and bye." With this exercise, place your forearm on a flat surface with your hand over the edge. While keeping your fingers relaxed, flex your wrist up and down.

  The Chinese Holistic Health Exercises website suggests trying push-ups using a push-up bar to hold on to when performing the exercise. Push-up bars help to reduce the amount of stress on your wrists.