This relaxation exercise can be helpful for reducing arthritis pain, recovering from a hand injury, relaxing tired hands, or just keeping healthy hands limber. It is like a trip to the spa for your hands.

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The hand rehabilitation relaxation exercise will begin with calm breathing and relaxation while you warm up your hands. Then, tendon gliding exercises, gentle range of motion, self massage, and relaxation will allow you to completely relax your hands. For pictures of how to do these exercises, and a video to follow along, go to relaxation-audio.com/hand.

Before you begin this hand rehabilitation relaxation exercise or apply heat to your hands, there are some safety considerations to be aware of. Consult your physiotherapist, occupational therapist, physician, or other healthcare provider to make sure that heat and range of motion are safe for you. If you have a recent injury and swelling is present, heat might make the inflammation worse. Once you have confirmed that it is safe to apply heat to your hands, make sure the heat source is comfortably warm, but not too hot. If you have reduced feeling in your hands, you will need to check the temperature with a thermometer and make sure it is not too hot. For this exercise, I suggest keeping the temperature no hotter than 125 degrees Fahrenheit, or 52 degrees celsius. You can still do this exercise without applying heat, so if you are not sure if heat would be helpful or safe for you, do not use an external heat source when you do this exercise.

Do not do any movements that cause or worsen pain. Make sure to do every exercise gently. It is okay to just move a little without going through the full range of motion. Be gentle, and listen to your body.