9 Hand Strengthening Exercises for Better Function and Less Pain

Your hands are involved in just about everything you do — from texting and typing to carrying groceries and doing housework. But you may not think about the need to exercise your hands unless you have hand pain or issues like arthritis. Whether you want to relieve hand pain,  improve your grip, or simply keep your hands strong and capable, the right hand exercises can make a big impact.

The following hand strengthening moves, recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists, are designed to target your hands, wrists, and forearms. And you don’t need fancy equipment or a ton of time to do them. Incorporate these easy exercises into your day to feel relief and give your hands the care they deserve to stay strong and injury free.

Interested in getting a personalized exercise therapy plan? Learn more about Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy programs and see if you’re eligible.

9 Hand Strengthening Exercises 

These exercises are recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists to stretch and strengthen your hands. You can do these moves for pain relief — say, if your hands feel stiff after a few hours of work — or to help keep your hands strong and flexible for everyday activities.

“This is a great way to build strength in both your hands at the same time,” says Samantha Stewart, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. By locking — or hooking — your fingers together and pulling, you activate the muscles through your hands, wrists, and elbows without moving. “That makes this a great isometric exercise. And as an added bonus: You don’t need any equipment. You can do this exercise anywhere — sitting or standing,” Dr. Stewart adds.  

How to do it: 

• Sit tall in a chair (or stand tall). 

• Hook your hands together, holding them in front of your chest and try to pull your hands apart using the strength of your fingers to keep them hooked together. 

• PT Tip: Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and down as you work.

This exercise helps improve grip strength. “Our grip is a huge part of our day-to-day function,” says Dr. Stewart. “It’s important for doing functional activities such as carrying, lifting, reaching, and grabbing.” Grip strength can also provide a snapshot of your overall health. Research has shown that weaker grip strength may be associated with conditions like osteoporosis, heart disease, and even early signs of dementia, making it a valuable indicator of broader health concerns.

How to do it: 

• Sit in a chair with a table in front of you. 

• Hold a rolled up towel while your elbow and forearm rest on a table. Your palm should be facing down. 

• Clench your hand to squeeze the towel roll.

• Focus on squeezing as hard as you are able, then relax your hand. 

• PT Tip: Use a bigger or smaller towel to adjust the difficulty of this exercise by changing the size of your grip.

“This one is similar to the towel squeeze but it’s a bit more challenging because you will squeeze a harder object than a towel — like a reusable water bottle,” says Dr. Stewart. This targets the muscles that help you do things like open a jar or turn a door knob. 

How to do it: 

• Lightly hold a hard object, like a water bottle, with your forearm supported on a table in front of you.

• Hold the object with your thumb on one side, and your fingers on the other side. 

• Squeeze the object. Your hand might rise slightly off the table as you squeeze. 

• Slowly relax your muscles to return to the starting position.

“This is an even more advanced grip strengthening exercise with a twisting motion incorporated,” says Dr. Stewart. “This helps with strengthening as well as controlling your movements.” You will likely feel some challenge in your forearms, as well, with this exercise. 

How to do it: 

• Hold a rolled up towel with your hands about a foot apart and your palms facing toward the floor. 

• Twist the towel by moving your right palm down and toward your left side as your left palm twists slightly up and away from your body. 

• Untwist the towel to return to the starting position. 

• Twist the towel in the opposite direction, adjusting your grip on the towel as needed to get a good twist. 

• Return to the starting position.

“This move works the hand muscles that allow you to bring your fingers closer to your palm,” explains Dr. Stewart. This helps with things like grabbing a doorknob, using scissors, or picking up a cup. “You can do this exercise without equipment by using your other hand to provide resistance. Apply more or less pressure depending on your tolerance. Or you can use a resistance band for more of a challenge.” 

How to do it: 

• Sit with your forearm and the back of your hand on a table with a folded towel cushioning the back of your hand. 

• Your fingers should be straight and hanging off the edge of the table. 

• Push your fingers down toward the floor with your opposite hand as your fingers resist, then relax your fingers.

“This move works the opposing muscles on the top of your hand which help with things like holding a pencil or spoon,” explains Dr. Stewart. Extending your fingers away from your palm can be done against your own resistance or with a resistance band once you are ready to work those muscles more. 

How to do it: 

• Sit with your forearm and the palm of your hand on a table with your fingers hanging off the edge. 

• Try pushing your fingers down toward the floor with your opposite hand as your fingers resist. 

• Stop pushing and relax your fingers.

Being able to spread your fingers apart is more important than you might think. It reflects the strength and flexibility of the small muscles in your hand, which are essential for fine motor control, grip strength, and overall hand function. You can work on this by practicing just that movement itself. Add some resistance with your opposite hand or even a resistance band as you make progress. 

How to do it: 

• Rest the elbow of your targeted hand on a table with your hand raised to head height. 

• Your fingers should be straight and held tightly together. 

• Spread your fingers wide apart. 

• Move your fingers back to the starting position.

“We cannot forget about the thumb when thinking about hand strength!” says Dr. Stewart. This exercise works some of the smaller muscles in your hands — and while they are small, they are important for fine motor control and dexterity. 

How to do it: 

• Bend the arm of your targeted hand and place your elbow on the table. 

• Your fingers should be straight with your thumb resting on the side of your hand. 

• Move your thumb directly away from your palm. 

• Move your thumb back to the side of your hand.

This exercise works your thumb and fingers together, activating the muscles in your palm. “It isolates all the muscles that contribute to a nice solid grip in succession,” says Dr. Stewart. 

How to do it: 

• Start by resting the elbow of your targeted hand on a table. Your hand should be open, and your fingers and thumb are straight and gently spaced apart. 

• Bend your thumb and index finger toward each other so that just the very tips touch. Hold this position, then relax your hand back to the starting position. 

• Bend the tips of your thumb and middle finger toward each other. Hold this position, and then relax back to the starting position. 

• Bend the tips of your thumb and ring finger together. Hold this position, and then relax. 

• Bend the tips of your thumb and pinky finger together. Hold, and then relax. 

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Benefits of Hand Strengthening Exercises 

Hand strengthening exercises are good for more than just helping you open a stubborn jar of olives. Hand exercises offer several benefits, particularly if you’re looking to improve hand function, dexterity, and overall health. 

• Improved grip strength. Strengthening your hands enhances your grip, making it easier to perform tasks like lifting, carrying, and grasping objects. But there’s more to grip strength than you might think. “Grip strength can be used to assess overall health and may be a predictor of a person’s longevity,” explains Dr. Stewart. “Working on grip strength isn’t just important for day-to-day function, but also for life!” 

• Better dexterity and coordination. Stronger hands help with fine motor skills, which are important for tasks that require precision, like writing, typing, or playing musical instruments.

• Help with everyday tasks. Strengthening your hands helps with everything from carrying a bag to groceries to doing the dishes without pain, stiffness, or discomfort. 

• Injury prevention. Stronger hand muscles provide better support to tendons and joints. This reduces the risk of injury during daily activities or sports. 

• Improved joint health. Hand strengthening exercises can improve flexibility and reduce stiffness, which is particularly helpful for people recovering from injuries or those who have conditions such as arthritis. “Many people have some type of arthritis in their hands. Keeping those muscles strong — maintaining grip strength and intentionally going through the motions of functional movement patterns — can help reduce symptoms,” says Dr. Stewart. 

How Hinge Health Can Help You

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app, when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References 

1. Bohannon, R. W. (2019). Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker For Older Adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 14(1), 1681–1691. doi:10.2147/CIA.S194543

2. Chen, X.-P., Lu, Y.-M., & Zhang, J. (2014). Intervention study of finger-movement exercises and finger weight-lift training for improvement of handgrip strength among the very elderly. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 1(2), 165–170. doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2014.05.001

3. Hammond, A., & Prior, Y. (2016). The effectiveness of home hand exercise programmes in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review. British Medical Bulletin, 119(1), 49–62. doi:10.1093/bmb/ldw024

4. Sallinen, J., Stenholm, S., Rantanen, T., Heliövaara, M., Sainio, P., & Koskinen, S. (2010). Hand-Grip Strength Cut Points to Screen Older Persons at Risk for Mobility Limitation. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(9), 1721–1726. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03035.x