Do this exercise
2 sets × 8 reps · hold 3s each. Watch the demo and tap through at your own pace — we log your reps, holds, and how it felt.
Prefer the classic step-by-step timer?
Rest the hand on a table, palm up, thumb relaxed.
Ready when you are
We'll guide you through 5 short steps — about 28 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 FPL tendon repair without surgeon clearance and protocol
- Acute thumb fracture before bone-healing milestones
Stop if
- Sharp pain at the wrist or thumb base
- Inability to bend the tip after a few gentle reps
- Audible snapping with 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).
Why it helps
Isolating motion at the IP joint encourages the deep thumb flexor (FPL) to glide independently — important for pinch precision and for preventing tendon adhesions after surgery.
What it should feel like
A focused pull at the tip of the thumb. No popping, no sharp pain.
Target area
Thumb (IP joint), FPL tendon
Stop if you notice
- Sharp pain at the wrist or thumb base
- Inability to bend the tip after a few gentle reps
- Audible snapping with pain
Get clearance first if
- Recent FPL tendon repair without surgeon clearance and protocol
- Acute thumb fracture before bone-healing milestones
Instructions, dose & tipsSetup, how many to do, and common mistakes
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
- If you had thumb tendon surgery, follow your surgeon’s timeline first.
- Move slowly — quality of the isolated motion matters more than range.
Today's dose
- Reps
- 8
- Sets
- 2
- Hold
- 3s
- Sessions / day
- 3
- Rest
- 30s
- Pain ceiling
- 3/10
Common mistakes
- Letting the base of the thumb bend along with the tip
- Pulling on the tip with the other hand
- Bending the wrist to ‘help’
Easier version
- Do half the reps
- Stop short of full IP bend
Harder version
Only if your phase allows progression.
- Once cleared, add a very gentle pinch against a soft pad at end-range
How did this feel?
One tap. Saved as a question for your next visit when relevant — never auto-shared.