Simple Exercises For Regaining Lost Finger Dexterity
Today’s Topic Highlights:
Finger dexterity is a key component of healthy hand function. The degree to which we can move and control our fingers is the degree to which we can grasp and utilize the surrounding physical environment.
The Merriam-Webster’s definition of dexterity is “Readiness and grace in physical activity; skill and ease in using the hands”. As it applies to the fingers, dexterity basically means the ability to use them however you want, whenever you want.
53 million US adults struggle with arthritis, much of which is located in the fingers.
The fitness industry places great emphasis on exercising the major muscle groups, and comparatively little on the fingers.
Today’s finger dexterity sequence involves 4 steps: (1) apply heat to the hands until they are completely warm; (2) open the hands wide and close them into fists 10 times; (3) stretch each finger individually, holding for 10 seconds per rep; and (4) perform controlled fingertip touches on each hand.
Finger dexterity is a key component of healthy hand function. The degree to which we can move and control our fingers is the degree to which we can grasp and utilize the surrounding physical environment. Over time, age and inadequate use tend to turn what were once well functioning digits into a daily living obstacle. With just a few short minutes a day though, you can reclaim a portion of this lost function.
The Merriam-Webster’s definition of dexterity is “Readiness and grace in physical activity; skill and ease in using the hands”. In applying this meaning specifically to the fingers, dexterity basically means the ability to use them however you want, whenever you want. To do this, we need well-tuned fine motor skills.
Compromises to pincer grasping, which involves using the tips of the thumb and index finger to grasp small objects, becomes increasingly noticeable when arthritis sets in. Eating with utensils, handwriting, dressing, flipping the pages of a book, and picking up small objects like pills all require pincer grasping.
To give an illustration of how important the fingers are to us, take a look at this picture published in The Scientific American.1 “This three-dimensional representation of the homunculus shows what a man's body would look like if each part grew in proportion to the area of the cortex of the brain concerned with directing movements.” The fitness industry places great emphasis on exercising the major muscle groups, and comparatively little on the fingers. Think about that in light of the image below.
53 million US adults struggle with arthritis, much of which is located in the fingers. We need the digits to be able to perform daily tasks. The thumbs are of particular importance to our day to day functioning. The opposable thumb is what ultimately build the world around us. Keeping them healthy for the long haul is mission critical, and today’s finger exercise sequence will help do exactly that.