Hands, 25 moves
Hand and finger stretches for the keyboard
“Your fingers have been curled over a keyboard all day. Opening your hand all the way feels oddly unfamiliar.”
Typing keeps your fingers in a half curl for hours. These small moves open, spread, lift and bend them, joint by joint, and take a few seconds each. Nobody in the office will notice.
Keep them light and easy, and stop if anything pinches or tingles.
- 25 seated
- 25 standing
- 0 on the floor
- 2 free in Desk Gym
Open and close the hands Open your hands wide and stretch the fingers. See the steps All 25 hands moves
-
Finger lifts - Open and close the hands
-
Blocked finger closing -
Blocked finger spread -
Blocked thumb extension -
Finger walking -
Flat thumb side slide -
Hook finger bend -
Lift the thumb from the desk -
Light key pinch -
Light three-pad pinch -
Light thumb and index press -
Make a gentle fist, then open the hand -
Move the thumb across the palm -
Spread and close the fingers -
Straight fist -
Supported finger straightening -
Supported index fingertip bend -
Supported index knuckle bend -
Supported index middle-joint bend -
Supported thumb tip bend -
Tabletop finger bend -
Thumb circles -
Thumb web stretch -
Touch the thumb to each finger
Little habits that help
- Open your hands wide whenever you wait for something to load.
- Share the work between fingers so one isn't doing every shortcut.
- Warm cold hands before a long typing session.
Gentle movement guidance, not medical advice. Move within a comfortable range and stop if anything hurts. If you have pain or an injury, check with a health professional first.
Questions about hands stretches
Are there hand exercises I can do at my desk?
Yes. Opening and closing the hands, finger lifts, touching the thumb to each finger and thumb circles all happen right at the desk. They take seconds and need no equipment.
How long do hand exercises take?
Each move takes about 20 to 40 seconds, so a whole hand break fits in a minute or two.