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Edema Gentle ~3 min

Edema elevation & pump

Elevate the hand above the heart and gently open and close the fingers to encourage fluid movement.

Equipment: No special equipment

Lie or sit comfortably. Rest the arm on pillows above heart level.

Ready when you are

We'll guide you through 5 short steps — about 60 seconds of guided motion. Pause or stop anytime — nothing is uploaded.

Have ready: No special equipment

Contraindications & stop if…

When not to do this

  • Suspected blood clot
  • Active infection
  • Recent surgery without clearance

Stop if

  • Throbbing or increasing pain when elevated
  • Skin color changes
  • New numbness
How does the hand feel right now?
No painWorst pain

Prefer a quick pacing gate before the timer? Use full guided session — it asks for pain, stiffness, and fatigue in a few taps first (education only, not clearance).

Guided session

Full-screen steps and timer below — same exercise. For vertical reel mode, use the clapper icon next to Save at the top of the page.

Why it helps

Gentle muscle pumping with elevation supports circulation and may help manage swelling between visits.

What it should feel like

A light, pulsing effort. No throbbing or sharp pain.

Target area

Hand, wrist

Stop if you notice

  • Throbbing or increasing pain when elevated
  • Skin color changes
  • New numbness

Get clearance first if

  • Suspected blood clot
  • Active infection
  • Recent surgery without clearance

Watch a curated demo

Patient education · Edema elevation & pump
Watch on YouTube

Your practice loop

Pause where you want, then tap A for where the loop starts and B for where it ends. Turn Autoloop off anytime — your A/B times stay saved for this video.

Now 0:00 · Loop 0:00 → end of video

Full video. Native YouTube controls stay in the player frame.
Exercises To Reduce Swelling/Edema In The Arm And Hand After Stroke · Post Stroke · verified 2026-04-22Adjacent topic — post-stroke edema. Same elevation + pumping principles apply to hand-injury edema.Patient education only — not a replacement for advice from your clinician.

More demos & readings (editorial catalog)

Extra YouTube, PDF, and hospital links gathered for this exercise cluster. The top embed above remains the oEmbed-verified pick when present; treat these as adjacent education — confirm fit with your clinician.

Typical catalog dose: 10 repetitions per hand.

Precautions (catalog)

  • Keep the movement gentle.
  • Stop if swelling or pain increases.

  • Hand Exercises For Every Stage of Stroke Recovery

    Unknown / YouTube · 2024-09-19

    Shows finger and hand rehab exercises that may be combined with swelling management.

    Useful for multi-stage recovery routines.

    Catalog ids: coban_finger_swelling, contract_relax_hand

  • Hand exercises for strength and mobility

    Unknown / YouTube · 2020-02-04

    Covers hand and wrist range of motion exercises for stiffness and mobility.

    Useful for gentle home mobility.

    Catalog ids: wrist_range_of_motion

  • Occupational Therapy Hand Exercises

    Unknown / YouTube · 2015-09-29

    Includes wrist flexion and extension as part of a home hand program.

    Good for wrist mobility and basic recovery.

    Catalog ids: wrist_range_of_motion

  • Quick Hand Exercise That FIXES Stroke Hand Stiffness and Spasticity

    Skills and Wellness · 2025-03-14

    Demonstrates a PNF contract-relax approach for a tight stroke hand.

    Best for stroke-related stiffness when clinically appropriate.

    Catalog ids: contract_relax_hand

  • Wrist and Finger Mobility Exercises for Stiffness: Both Hands

    Virtual Hand Care · 2024-05-02

    A guided mobility session that includes knuckle bender tendon glides and hook fist movement.

    Good for stiffness, arthritis, and post-injury mobility.

    Catalog ids: tendon_glide_sequence

  • Hand Exercises

    Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 2023-10-01

    A patient hand exercise sheet covering basic finger bend, straighten, spread, and squeeze movements.

    Appropriate for gentle recovery and daily range-of-motion work.

    Catalog ids: finger_lifts_spreads

    Open resource

  • Hand Physical Therapy Exercises to Boost Mobility and Recovery

    BTE Technologies / TherapySpark · 2025-06-19

    Shows finger lifts and spreads for hand mobility and control.

    Useful for basic at-home mobility work.

    Catalog ids: finger_lifts_spreads

    Open resource

  • Hand therapy videos

    The Royal Melbourne Hospital · 2023-01-16

    Shows Coban application for finger swelling management.

    Helpful before movement exercises.

    Catalog ids: coban_finger_swelling

    Open resource

  • Occupational Therapy Hand Exercises: Home Program

    Medbridge · 2026-03-01

    Contains tendon glide positions as part of a hand mobility home program.

    Useful for structured therapy programs and progression planning.

    Catalog ids: tendon_glide_sequence

    Open resource

Catalog fact-check source list

Education sources

HandTherapy.app summarizes common home-program elements used in hand therapy and surgery recovery education. These links are for learning — they do not replace your clinician's instructions.

Explainer

How to do it well

Goal, setup, dose, and the things therapists most often have to repeat. This is education — not a replacement for your clinician's plan.

Before you start

  • Stack pillows so the hand sits clearly above the heart.
  • Stop if the hand starts to throb or color changes.
  • Avoid if you suspect a blood clot — call your clinician.

Today's dose

Reps
3
Sets
1
Sessions / day
4
Rest
30s
Pain ceiling
2/10

Common mistakes

  • Squeezing too hard instead of gentle pumping
  • Letting the hand drop below the heart mid-set
  • Doing it too few times per day — frequency drives the benefit

Easier version

  • Skip making a fist; just open and partly close
  • Reduce to 2 sessions per day

How did this feel?

One tap. Saved as a question for your next visit when relevant — never auto-shared.

Jump toSession playerWhy & safetyForm cues & doseKeep going
Continue your rehab

What to do next — not a dead end

Suggestions use shared goals, tags, and difficulty — not your medical record. Always defer to your clinician’s plan after surgery or a flare.

Estimated time

~3 min this exercise

Add a second exercise below for a fuller block.

Equipment

None required — bodyweight / table surface only

Pain-level guard

Explainer ceiling: 2/10 — back off before you reach it.

When to stop

Throbbing or increasing pain when elevated

Skin color changes

Full stop rules ↑

Common mistake to watch

• Squeezing too hard instead of gentle pumping

More form cues ↓

Get clearance first if

  • • Suspected blood clot
  • • Active infection
  • • Recent surgery without clearance

Keep momentum without overdoing it

Log on TodayShort on time?Bad hand day?Tune recommendationsGuided sessionSafety hubLearn library
In-session scaling: Easier — Skip making a fist; just open and partly close Full explainer ↓