Activities to Increase Wrist and Forearm FunctionFUNCTIONAL HAND ACTIVITIES These directions are intended for home treatment and not as a prescription for use by a professional therapist Activities to Increase Wrist and Forearm Function GOAL. To improve wrist function through activities of gradually increasing difficulty, you should work toward achieving smooth coordinated movement and full active range of motion in the involved joints. Be persistent in doing these activities. Your determination helps assure the greatest possible improvement in the function of your wrist and forearm. PRECAUTIONS. Avoid sudden or quick movements. Do not continue these activities to the point of muscle trembling or pain. Rest when your wrist function slows or becomes less accurate. No resistive activities should be done before resistive ones. You will have better results if you do one of the functional activities for the wrist within 1 hour after your daily exercises. ACTIVITIES To Increase Downward Bending of Wrist 1. Nudge an unweighted or weighted tin can across a table while holding your hand with the wrist bent downward. 2. Grasp a broomstick or large dowel with both hands and bend the wrists downward as far as they will go. 3. Scoop a hole in the sand or snow with your hand. 4. Paddle a canoe, inner tube or air mattress with the hands. 5. Paint a large surface with a paintbrush. Concentrate on bending the wrist downward while painting. 6. Wring out wet towels. To Increase Upward Bending of Wrist 1. Extend your arms, place the palms of your hands together and draw your arms in toward your body. 2. Grasp a broomstick or wooden dowel with both hands and extend the wrists upward as far as they will go. 3. Paint a large surface with a large brush. Concentrate on bending the wrist upward while painting. 4. Wring out towels. To Increase Side Bending of the Wrist 1. Paint, using the edge of the brush (good for edges and trim). 2. Stamp designs on leather using a wooden mallet. 3. Drive nails with a hammer. You can increase the work of this activity by changing from soft wood to hard wood and from small tacks to large nails. To Increase Turning the Palm Up and Down 1. Pour water from one glass to another, turning the palm down. Then pour the water back into the first glass while turning the palm up. Be sure to keep you elbow next to the body during this activity. 2. Claps hands together and turn them so that one palm faces down as far as it will go. Then turn hands so that the same palm faces up as far as it will go. 3. Use a screwdriver to put screws into word and to remove them. |
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