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Mobility Gentle ~2 min

Open & Close Hand

Slowly close into a full fist, then open the hand wide — a gentle pumping motion for mobility and circulation.

Equipment: No special equipment

Begin with the hand open and the fingers straight.

Ready when you are

We'll guide you through 3 short steps — about 20 seconds of guided motion. Pause or stop anytime — nothing is uploaded.

Have ready: No special equipment

Contraindications & stop if…

When not to do this

  • Recent hand or wrist surgery without clinician clearance
  • Acute fracture before bone-healing milestones

Stop if

  • Sharp or increasing pain
  • New numbness, tingling, or pins-and-needles
  • Sudden swelling or color change in the hand
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

Repeated opening and closing pumps fluid out of a swollen hand and keeps the finger joints moving through their full range.

What it should feel like

Easy movement through the fingers with light effort; no pain.

Target area

Fingers, hand

Stop if you notice

  • Sharp or increasing pain
  • New numbness, tingling, or pins-and-needles
  • Sudden swelling or color change in the hand

Get clearance first if

  • Recent hand or wrist surgery without clinician clearance
  • Acute fracture before bone-healing milestones

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, gently and without forcing.

Precautions (catalog)

  • Avoid aggressive squeezing if joints are inflamed.
  • Use controlled movement.

  • 5 Minute Finger and Hand Stiffness Exercise Routine for Both Hands

    Virtual Hand Care · 2023-03-12

    Includes hook to fist and back to hook as exercise number two.

    Excellent for tendon gliding and stiffness relief.

    Catalog ids: hook_to_fist

  • 5 Minute Hand Strengthening Exercise Routine

    Virtual Hand Care · 2023-08-03

    Uses isometric gripping and finger strengthening work that can complement fist-making practice.

    Better for progression into strengthening once motion improves.

    Catalog ids: fist_making

  • 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

    Includes bend-and-straighten finger drills that support fist motion.

    Baseline home exercise for mobility.

    Catalog ids: fist_making

    Open resource

  • Hand therapy exercise videos

    South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · 2022-01-13

    Includes tendon gliding and blocking exercises that overlap with hook-fist control.

    Useful for therapist-guided rehab.

    Catalog ids: hook_to_fist

    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

  • Sit comfortably with your forearm supported.
  • Remove rings and tight jewelry.
  • Move only into comfortable range — never force.

Today's dose

Reps
5
Sets
2
Sessions / day
2
Rest
20s
Pain ceiling
3/10

Common mistakes

  • Rushing the movement instead of moving slowly and smoothly
  • Pushing into pain rather than a gentle stretch

Easier version

  • Do fewer reps and rest more often
  • Reduce the range of motion until it feels comfortable

Harder version

Only if your phase allows progression.

  • Add a gentle 5-second hold at the end of each rep

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

~2 min this exercise

Add a second exercise below for a fuller block.

Equipment

None required — bodyweight / table surface only

Pain-level guard

Explainer ceiling: 3/10 — back off before you reach it.

When to stop

Sharp or increasing pain

New numbness, tingling, or pins-and-needles

Full stop rules ↑

Common mistake to watch

• Rushing the movement instead of moving slowly and smoothly

More form cues ↓

Get clearance first if

  • • Recent hand or wrist surgery without clinician clearance
  • • Acute fracture before bone-healing milestones

Next recommended exercises

Often the next intensity or a logical pairing.

Keep momentum without overdoing it

Log on TodayShort on time?Bad hand day?Tune recommendationsGuided sessionSafety hubLearn library
In-session scaling: Easier — Do fewer reps and rest more often · Harder — Add a gentle 5-second hold at the end of each repFull explainer ↓