Tendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises)

How to move

1. Sit with your forearm resting on a table, elbow bent, wrist straight, fingers straight and together.
2. Hook: keep the big knuckles straight and bend the middle and end joints, so the fingertips curl towards the top of the palm. Hold.
3. Full fist: from the hook, roll the fingers down into a full fist by bending the big knuckles too. Hold, then straighten the fingers.
4. Tabletop: bend only at the big knuckles, keeping the fingers straight, like a flat tabletop. Hold.
5. Straight fist: from the tabletop, bend the middle joints so the fingertips touch the base of the palm, keeping the end joints straight and your nails in view. Hold, then straighten.
6. Move slowly and gently, and start and finish each round with the fingers as straight as you can.

Form cues

• Keep the wrist straight; only the fingers move.
• It's a glide, not a grip: don't squeeze in the fist.
• Avoid: rushing between positions, bending the wrist, or forcing a finger that catches.

Practice and cautions

4 to 6 of each position, holding each for 5 seconds, up to 4 times a day: the dose in an NHS hand-therapy leaflet. A carpal tunnel trial used 7-second holds, 5 times through, 3 times a day, and an NHS trigger finger leaflet uses a shorter set (hook, tabletop and a gently assisted fist), 5 to 10 of each, 4 times a day. The glides were part of trial programmes for carpal tunnel syndrome and hand arthritis but have not been tested on their own.

It shouldn't be painful, though the fingers may feel stretched. With trigger finger, ease a stuck finger straight gently, ideally after warming the hand, and never force it. After hand surgery or a tendon repair, do these only as your surgeon or hand therapist says. This is movement education, not an assessment or treatment prescription. Stop for sharp or increasing pain, dizziness, numbness or tingling; seek individual guidance for symptoms, injury or restrictions.