Exercises
Arm Exercises and Guides
Hand Exercises and Guides
Sports Injuries
How to recondition your joints after a sports Injury
Examples
Shoulders
If you have a shoulder problem, there are exercises that you can do to help you move normally as you recover.
Arm swings forward and back
With a table or chair next to you for support,
lean forward so that one arm hangs straight down.
Place your other hand on the table or chair for support.
Slowly swing your free arm backwards and forwards and gradually increase the length of the swing
Wide shoulder stretch
Place your arms at a right angle in front of your body.
Your palms should be facing upwards.
Keeping your upper arms still,
move your palms and lower arms until they are pointing out from either side of your body.
Hold for a few seconds and then bring your arms back into the starting position.
Arm swings side to side
With a table or chair next to you for support,
lean forward so that one arm hangs straight down.
Place your other hand on the table or chair for support.
Slowly swing your free arm from left to right and gradually increase the length of the swing.
Side rotation with weight
Lie on your right side with a cushion to support your neck.
Your left arm should be bent at a right angle out in front of your body.
You can place a light weight (like a tin of beans) in your left hand if you like.
Keeping your arm bent and a right angle,
lift your hand so that it points towards the ceiling.
Gently bring your arm back to the starting position.
Exercises for Shoulder Pain
Exercise One: Wall slides
Find a smooth wall or wall mirror and a cloth that will slide easily on the wall (or put clean socks on your hands). Stand facing the wall. Place the edges of your hands against the wall with your thumbs facing you. Now step forward as you gently push into the wall and slide your hands up as far as you can. Relax and return to start position. • Repeat 8 times • Rest for a minute • Repeat 8 times • Rest for a minute • Repeat 8 times. When you can do this exercise easily you can progress by doing it without the support of the wall and adding a light weight.
Exercise Two: Push-ups against a wall
Now put your hands on the wall as if you are going to do a push-up. Make sure your hands are placed a little wider than the width of your shoulders, your hands are turned out slightly and your elbows are below your shoulders. Now lower your body towards the wall keeping your body nice and tall. • Repeat this 8 times • Rest for a minute • Repeat 8 times • Rest for a minute • Repeat 8 times. When you can do this exercise easily you can progress and increase load by moving your feet further from the wall.
Exercise Three: Shoulder rotation
Sit next to a table with your elbow supported just below shoulder height on a rolled up towel. Now make a gentle fist, keep your elbow bent and then rotate your forearm to point upwards. Return to the start position and relax. Make sure you sit up tall whilst you do this. When it is easy for you to do this you can add a light weight – start with half kilo or a small 500ml water bottle. As the exercise gets easier you can increase the weight.
Neck
If you have a neck problem, there are exercises that you can do to help you move normally as you recover.
Head turn
With your head facing forward, slowly turn your head to one side as far as is comfortable you should feel a stretch on the opposite side of your neck.
Hold for 2 seconds then return to where you started.
Repeat on the other side.
Forward head tilt
Facing forwards, bring your chin down towards your chest.
Slowly bring your chin back up.
Head tilt
With your head facing forward, slowly tilt your head towards one shoulder as far as is comfortable
you should feel a stretch on the opposite side of your neck.
Hold for 2 seconds then return to where you started.
Repeat on the other side
Elbow
If you have an elbow problem, there are exercises that you can do to help you move normally as you recover.
Elbow flex and extend
Start with both arms hanging by your side.
Bring one arm up to touch the shoulder.
Hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower your arm.
Exercises for Elbow Stiffness
Exercise One: Forearm rotation range
Exercise Two: Overhead Elbow Bending
Exercise Three: Overhead forearm rotation
Exercise Four: Strengthening your elbow
Exercise Four: Final Strengthening and Elbow Range
Hand and wrist
If you have a finger, hand or wrist problem, there are exercises that you can do to help you move normally as you recover.
Flexed hand clench
Place your hand out in front with your fingers straight.
Bring your fingers into a fist shape.
Tilt your wrist so that it faces towards your body.
Only do this as far as is comfortable.
Clenched wrist bend
With the side of your hand rested on the table, and your hand loosely clenched, bend your wrist and fingers towards you.
Hold for 2 seconds then bend your clenched hand away from your body.
Hold for 2 seconds before returning to the starting position
Finger curls
With your hand facing away from you, gradually curl your fingers inwards.
Start at the top joints of your fingers, then the middle ones and then finally curl in the knuckles.
Hold for a few seconds.
Slowly straighten out your fingers.
Start at the knuckles, then the middle joints followed by the top joints of your fingers.
Finger and thumb touch
Place your palm out in front of you with your fingers stretched out.
Touch your thumb to the top of your little finger and then stretch your hand out again.
Thumb stretch
Place your arm out in front with your fingers straight and your thumb pointing towards the ceiling.
Bring your thumb down to touch the bottom of your pinkie finger.
Return to the starting position with your finger stretched out and your thumb pointing towards the ceiling.
Finger and thumb touch
Place your palm out in front of you with your fingers stretched out.
Touch your thumb to the top of your little finger and then stretch your hand out again.
Interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal finger extension
place your elbow on the table and relax your thumb
using your other hand try and straighten the middle joint of the finger into a straight position and now relax repeat this as able
Passive wrist extension
Place your hands together as if praying then lower down until you feel a gentle stretch keep your palms together relax as you need to
Returning to your original position and then repeat now place your hand flat on the table and use your other hand to keep this hand flat place your other hand over the top and now move your forearm up from the table to give your wrist a stretch now relax
Repeat this as you’re able now we’re going to complete passive wrist flexion place your elbow on the table and relax your wrist use your other hand to push on the back of this affected hand into a bent position and relax repeat this exercise as
Able now place the back of your forearm on the table
Finger hook exercise
Fully straighten your fingers and now bend the tips of your fingers fully into a hook position now straighten your fingers fully
Full finger bend
Place your elbow on the table and straighten your fingers fully curl all the joints of your fingers into a full fist fully straighten keep your wrist nice and straight when you do this exercise
Tip of finger bend
Place your elbow on the table fully straighten your fingers
Now using your other hand
hold the middle joint of your finger in extension now bend the tip of the finger on its own and straighten
Mid finger bend
place your elbow on the table and fully straighten your fingers using your other hand hold the bottom knuckle of your fingers and bend the middle joint on its own
now fully straighten the finger
Palm on table
place your hand flat on the table the thumb in a nice relaxed position
with the tip of the thumb slightly bent now try and straighten the thumb with the tip of the thumb slightly bent return the thumb to its original position next to the index finger repeat this exercise as able
Wrist bend
place your forearm on a table fist clenched
and move your wrist up and down now in the same position straighten your fingers and move your wrist up and down
Tip of thumb bend
Face your arm on the table in your other hand hold the bottom joint of the thumb keeping the tip free now bend the tip of the thumb as much as possible now straighten the tip of the thumb as much as possible repeat this exercise
Finger duck and hook
Foreign on the table and straighten your fingers the fingers straight bend the big Knuckles keeping the top two joints straight now bend the middle joints and keep the tip straight to make a flat fist now bend the fingertips into a full fist now straighten the big Knuckles keeping the tips in a hook position and now fully straighten the fingers repeat this exercise
Hand wave
place your forearm and hand on a table move your hands sideways towards the little finger now move your hand back towards the middle and now move your hand towards your thumb
Thumb and finger touch
place your elbow on the table fingertip with your thumb keeping an O shape and straightening the thumb out between each exercise now run the thumb down to the bottom of the little finger and straighten the thumb out repeat this exercise
Spreading and closing finger
Place your hand and forearm flat on the table
and stretch your fingers apart as far as
possible keeping your wrist in a neutral position
now bring your fingers and thumb back together
and repeat