Free printable handout · PDF
Hand and Wrist Arthritis Exercises: Free Printable PDF
Talk to your doctor first. General education, not medical advice.This content is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Get approval from your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or take medication. Stop and seek medical advice if an exercise causes pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or shortness of breath. You choose to exercise at your own risk. Read the full medical disclaimer.
A two-page printable sheet of hand and wrist arthritis exercises: 11 exercises in 3 phases, from gentle daily movement to stretches and light strength work. Every exercise has a video on this page. Print it, save it to your phone, or share it. No signup needed.
- Wrist & Hand Exercises for Arthritis
- Tendon Glides
- Thumb Exercises
- Wrist Range of Motion
- Wrist Flexor Stretch
- Wrist Extensor Stretch
- Forearm Pronation and Supination
- Grip Strengthening
- Finger Extension with a Band
- Wrist Radial and Ulnar Deviation
- Wrist Curls
- Sets, reps and holds explained
- Pain guide with room for your limit
- Clinician notes and a 6-week tracker
What you’ll need Paid links
Most of this handout needs only a chair, a wall and some floor space. Some exercises use these items. Household swaps are listed where they work.
- Hand therapy putty · Comes in resistance levels; start with the softest. A sponge or soft ball works.
- Small soft ball · For squeezing exercises. A pillow or rolled towel works.
- Finger exerciser bands · For finger-opening exercises. A rubber band works.
- Light dumbbells · Start light and build up slowly. Water bottles or food cans work to start.
Which exercises use each item, and what to look for: equipment guide.
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Watch each exercise
Start with Phase 1. Move to the next phase when the current exercises feel comfortable. Tap any exercise for step-by-step instructions.
Phase 1 starts here: Wrist & Hand Exercises for Arthritis. Video embedded from its original publisher.
Phase 1 — Gentle Movement (most days)
- Wrist & Hand Exercises for ArthritisUsual start: 10 of each movement, once or twice a dayVideo + steps →
- Tendon GlidesUsual start: 5–10 rounds, 3–5 times a dayVideo + steps →
- Thumb ExercisesUsual start: 10 reps, 2–3 times a dayVideo + steps →
- Wrist Range of MotionUsual start: 10–15 slow reps, 2–3 times a dayVideo + steps →
Phase 2 — Stretches
- Wrist Flexor StretchUsual start: 3 × 20–30 secVideo + steps →
- Wrist Extensor StretchUsual start: 3 × 20–30 sec holdVideo + steps →
- Forearm Pronation and SupinationUsual start: 2–3 × 10–15Video + steps →
Phase 3 — Gentle Strength
- Grip StrengtheningUsual start: 2–3 × 10 squeezesVideo + steps →
- Finger Extension with a BandUsual start: 2–3 × 10–15Video + steps →
- Wrist Radial and Ulnar DeviationUsual start: 2–3 × 10–15 slow reps, 1–2 times a dayVideo + steps →
- Wrist CurlsUsual start: 2–3 × 12–15 eachVideo + steps →
How much and how often
If a physical therapist, chiropractor or doctor gave you this sheet, follow the amounts they wrote in the boxes. If a box is blank, the usual start under each exercise above is a typical starting amount for most people, not a prescription for you. Start at the low end and build up slowly.
- Rep: one movement. Set: a group of reps in a row, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. 2 × 10 means 2 sets of 10 reps; 3 × 30 sec means 3 holds of 30 seconds.
- Stretches: hold 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times, most days. A gentle pull, never sharp pain.
- Strength: 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 slow reps, 2 to 3 days a week with a rest day between. The last 2 or 3 reps should feel like work while you keep good form.
- Follow-along videos: 2 to 3 times a week to start. Skip any part that hurts and do the rest.
How much discomfort is OK? Some discomfort is common. On a 0 to 10 scale, pain up to about 3 to 5 that settles by the next morning is often acceptable, or use the limit your clinician gives you. If pain goes above that, is worse the next morning, or builds from week to week, do less next time.
When to do more: after a full week at your current amount stays inside your pain limit, add a little, one thing at a time: a few more reps, then another set, then the next phase. If you miss a few days, restart a step lower.
Stop and contact your clinician if you have sharp or severe pain, pain that keeps getting worse, new numbness, tingling or weakness, new swelling, dizziness or a fall. For chest pain or trouble breathing, stop and call 911.
Page 2 of the PDF has this guide, a box for your pain limit, notes from your clinician and a 6-week tick tracker. The large-print version has bigger text, a line for your amount under each exercise, and a tick calendar with big boxes.
For clinicians
You’re welcome to print this sheet and hand it to patients at no cost. Page 1 has a tick box to choose which exercises to do and blank boxes for sets, reps or hold, times a day and days a week for each one. Page 2 explains sets, reps and how often in plain language, with space for the patient’s pain limit, your notes and a next check-in date. Prefer to send it digitally with your own doses? Build a program in the free clinician portal. See also resources for providers.
More free handouts
Educational use only. Not a substitute for medical advice. Videos are embedded from their original publishers and remain the property of those publishers.