Do you find that the older you get the weaker your grip becomes? Think it is just because you are older? Do you think something is wrong or are you trying to increase the strength in your hands with little to no improvement? Don’t feel frustrated as many people 40 and over have come to see me after trying everything. The secret is, it may not be a strength issue. Instead it could be a tightness issue in various parts of your hand and arm. This tightness can make you feel weak and when you express your thoughts about it, most therapists will start strength training plans to help you. For the short term, it may help, but in the long term it can have a detrimental affect.
Strength training your hands is very easy. Take a rubber band and wrap it around each finger and thumb. Practice spreading your fingers in all directions until they fatigue. rest for 2 minutes and then do it again. You can also take a tennis ball and practice squeezing it. Hold each squeeze as long as you can. As you are holding, count until your hand lets go, then try to beat that time when you practice again. These you can do anytime and anywhere which makes them perfect for the busy person. If you go to a gym, you can use grip machines and dumb bells to strengthen your hands and forearms. Never forget, that when you strengthen any muscles you will make them tighter. This tightness can work against you. Think of a body builder that is too stiff to move.
Sometimes the weakness can come from your muscles being to tight and there are steps you can take to reduce the tightness anywhere, anytime. You do this one at the office, sitting in meetings, or hanging with friends. You can do it sitting or standing, whichever works for you. Place the palms of your hands together with each finger and thumb mirroring the opposite hand. Make the palms are touching.Now use the right hand to press down on the left hand to make the left wrist bend backwards, Hold for 3-5 seconds and reverse to stretch the right wrist. You can do these 8-10 times each way. Next take the left hand, using the thumb and index finger to squeeze between the right thumb and index in that v-shaped area. Squeeze just hard enough to feel the soreness, breathe out and let the muscle relax. Too hard and you cannot breathe out. Too little and there is no effect. Do this until the pain stops then move to another part of that area. You can even do this at the base of the thumb to the wrist. Then move to rubbing between the bones of the fingers to soften the entire hand. Make sure you do both hands and not just the one that hurts. You can stretch each finger back, one at a time. Optimally, each finger should go back up to 90 degrees to the hand.Start slow and work your way up to there, if you can’t do it yet. You can stretch the thumb as well. Place the fingers of the left hand around the thumb of the right hand. Place the left thumb at the base of the right thumb. Your left thumb is acting like a brace. Gently pull the right thumb back with the left hand stretching out the webbing of the right hand. If you feeling any stiffness at the base of the thumb, this one is perfect! There are more videos of these stretches on my YouTube Channel, The Muscle Repair Shop.if you have any questions you can contact me at [email protected]. Youc an visit my website at www.musclerepairshop.com.
