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Orthopaedic surgery - Following Wrist Injury

  • Exercising your hand and arm will help to reduce any swelling and ease the pain from stiff joints
  • If these exercises are done regularly, they will speed up your recovery
  • Carry out the exercises slowly and smoothly
  • Practice until the movement is full
  • Perform 10 repetitions of each ticked exercise

1a. Lift your arm above your head. 1b. Behind your back. 2. Bend and straighten your elbow fully. 3. Bend your fingers to touch your palm and then straighten your fingers fully. Add a stretch to push fingers into palm using other hand. Hold for 5 seconds.

4. Take your thumb to touch the tip of each finger and then take your thumb to the base of your little finger. 5. Keeping your fingers relaxed with your forearm supported over the edge of a table. 6. With your hand flat on a table, bend your wrist towards your thumb and then towards your little finger.

 

7. With your elbow tucked into your side a. turn your palm upwards. b. turn your palm downwards. 8. With your elbows on a table, place your arms together (as if in prayer) slide elbows apart, keeping your palms pressed together. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds for a gentle stretch.

 

9.With your forearm supported over the edge of a table, bend your wrist down as far as possible. Then add a gentle stretch using the other hand. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. 10. With your elbow tucked in at your side, holding a baton or similar eg rolling pin, a. turn your forearms so your palm faces upwards, b. turn your forearm so your palm faces dowwn. Let the baton provide a GENTLE stretch. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds in each direction.

 

11. Using a grip strength trainer/stress ball/rolled up pair of socks. Hold in your hand and squeeze tightly. Hold for 3 seconds then slowly release. Aim to do 3 sets of 10-15 squeezes daily. Your arm should feel tired after exercising. If this is not hte case, try to squeeze harder or increase the resistance on the strength trainer.

Contact Details

Hand Therapy Department Salford Royal Hospital
Tel: 0161 206 5319 (This is an answerphone please leave a message)
Email: hand.therapy@nca.nhs.uk
 

Date of Review: July 2025
Date of Next Review: July 2027
Ref No: PI_SU_1526 (Salford)

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