Yoga guide
Yoga can help your hands mainly by keeping them moving: hand and finger exercises eased pain and stiffness a little in trials of hand osteoarthritis, and a tailored programme improved hand function in rheumatoid arthritis, for as long as people kept them up. Yoga itself has been tested on the hands only once, in a small trial, and it hasn't been shown to build grip. It doesn't cure arthritis or replace your GP, medicines or a hand therapist.
This guide covers why hands get stiff, sore or weak, what the hand exercise trials found, arthritis in the hands, grip strength, how to take weight on your hands in poses or avoid it, mudras and finger yoga, the warning signs, and a free 20-minute class with a 3D demo of every move. If your wrists hurt in poses, our yoga for wrists guide has the swaps.
Arthritis UK: "Most cases of hand and wrist pain will not be a sign of a serious or long-term problem and will settle in a few days or weeks with some simple self-care you can do at home." After a few days, the NHS suggests gentle hand and finger exercises for a sore finger rather than resting it completely.
In the Cochrane review, exercise eased hand pain by about half a point on a 0 to 10 scale and finger stiffness by about 0.7, straight after the programme, on low-quality evidence; the gains had gone by 6 and 12 months. A 2024 review of 14 trials (1,341 people) found similar small, short-term gains, and no extra effect after 24 weeks.
In about 25 people with hand osteoarthritis in 1994, weekly yoga for 8 weeks eased pain during activity and tenderness and improved finger movement more than no treatment, but a later review scored the trial 0 out of 5 for quality. A 2019 review found no effect of yoga for hand osteoarthritis, and we found no trial of mudras or finger yoga.
In 490 people at 17 NHS sites, tailored strengthening and stretching improved hand function by 4.3 points (on a 0 to 100 scale) more than usual care at 12 months, with no difference in pain. By about 26 months the difference had faded as fewer people kept exercising. NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) suggests such a programme once your medicines have been stable for 3 months.
Weaker grip goes with higher death rates in large studies, an association rather than proof. Exercise in general raised grip only a little in older adults, the evidence for yoga is very low certainty, and grip didn't change in a randomised yoga trial in arthritis. Squeezing a soft ball and opening your fingers against a band train it more directly.
In plank, the dogs and dolphin, the arms took on average about half to three quarters of body weight, and most of the force goes through the heel of the hand. Fists, forearms or a wall are the swaps for sore hands.
Arthritis UK: "There are 27 small bones that make up each hand and wrist." and "There are more than 30 muscles that control the hand and wrist." The long tendons that bend and straighten the fingers run from muscles in the forearm, and small muscles inside the hand spread the fingers and work the thumb. Grip uses the forearm and hand together, which is why grip work and wrist work overlap; our yoga for wrists guide covers the wrist.
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Fingers slow to bend or straighten, often first thing. Arthritis UK: "Moving your hands, wrists and fingers as much as possible can help ease pain and stiffness. This will also maintain range of movement, function and strength." Stiffness from osteoarthritis usually wears off within 30 minutes of getting up; in rheumatoid arthritis it often lasts longer, the NHS says.
For a sore finger, after a few days the NHS says to "do gentle hands and finger exercises to help ease any stiffness", and to "not lift heavy objects or grip anything too tightly".
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A weak grip can come from not using the hand, arthritis, a tendon problem or a nerve: carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure on a nerve in the wrist, can cause "a weak thumb or difficulty gripping", the NHS says. New weakness is worth checking (see the warning signs).
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The NHS: "Almost any joint can be affected by osteoarthritis, but the condition most often causes problems in the knees, hips and small joints of the hands." It affects the base of the thumb and the end and middle joints of the fingers, which can become stiff, painful and swollen, sometimes with bumps. It "cannot be cured, but it doesn't necessarily get any worse over time and it can sometimes gradually improve".
Hand osteoarthritis with symptoms affects about 22% of adults over 50 (16% of men and 28% of women), UK experts say. On X-rays it is far more common than symptoms: in one US study, 44.2% of women and 37.7% of men had it on X-ray, against 15.9% and 8.2% with symptoms (a 2018 correction to that study exists, which we couldn't read).
The NHS: "Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. The condition usually affects the hands, feet and wrists." With the hands affected, "you may not be able to fully bend your fingers or form a fist." Medicines control it, and "Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis quickly is important, because early treatment can prevent it getting worse and reduce the risk of joint damage." Our yoga for rheumatoid arthritis guide covers yoga with it.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (our yoga for carpal tunnel guide), trigger finger (our yoga for trigger finger guide), and finger fractures, dislocations and tendon injuries (our finger pain guide). Fingers pulled into the palm so the hand won't lie flat need a GP (see the warning signs).
Weight-bearing: all fours, downward dog, plank, side plank, crow and handstands. In 20 adults, the arms took on average 0.50 to 0.76 times body weight in the four-limb poses and 0.73 in crow, and the researchers note: "It is important to consider that the upper extremities are not designed to absorb weight as are the lower extremities." A sun salutation took the wrist from 85 to 3 degrees of bend, and in a handstand most of the force went through the heel of the hand.
Gripping: binds, holding a foot or a strap, and eagle arms. Hand shapes: prayer hands and mudras, the hand gestures held in breathing and meditation. Hands free: most standing, sitting and lying poses, and forearm versions such as sphinx and dolphin.
Five trials (381 people) were pooled for pain: exercise eased hand pain by about half a point on a 0 to 10 scale, improved function by 2.2 points on a 0 to 36 scale, and eased finger stiffness by 0.7 on a 0 to 10 scale, straight after the programme, on low-quality evidence. The gains weren't there at the medium- and long-term follow-ups, and the authors write: "Estimated effect sizes were small, and whether they represent a clinically important change may be debated." A few people had flare-ups of finger joint pain and inflammation.
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A 2024 review of 14 trials (1,341 people) found small short-term gains in pain, function, stiffness and grip, mostly on low-certainty evidence, and no extra effect at 24 weeks or later; many programmes mixed exercise with other treatment. A 2024 evidence review found a small long-term effect of hand exercises on pain, also on low-certainty evidence, and wrote that "there is a lack of interventions that efficiently improve grip strength".
In 80 Norwegian women, 3 months of home hand exercises with phone follow-up improved everyday hand activities (by 1.4 points on a 0 to 10 scale), grip, pain and tiredness, compared with information alone. It was small, short and unblinded.
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NICE: "For all people with osteoarthritis, offer therapeutic exercise tailored to their needs (for example, local muscle strengthening, general aerobic fitness)." It also says: "Advise people with osteoarthritis that joint pain may increase when they start therapeutic exercise." The US guideline strongly recommends exercise for osteoarthritis of the hand as well as the knee and hip, while noting there is far more evidence for knees and hips. UK experts advise hand exercises for everyone with hand osteoarthritis, and general exercise too.
In 1994, people with hand osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to weekly supervised yoga for 8 weeks or no treatment, and "The yoga treated group improved significantly more than the control group in pain during activity, tenderness and finger range of motion." Later reviews put its size at about 25 people (14 and 11) and scored it 0 out of 5 for quality. Its grip result is known only second-hand: another trial's authors report that grip didn't change. We read the trial as an abstract.
A 2019 review of 9 trials (640 people, mostly knees): "No effects were found for quality of life, and depression, or for hand osteoarthritis." A 2023 update of every hand osteoarthritis treatment found only this one yoga trial. There is too little to judge.
Yoga hasn't been shown to help hand osteoarthritis beyond what hand exercises do. A hand-friendly yoga practice with the trial-style hand moves added is a reasonable choice, but it doesn't replace your GP, a hand therapist or splints.
In 490 adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at 17 NHS sites, hand function improved by 7.9 points (on a 0 to 100 scale) with tailored exercise and 3.6 points with usual care at 12 months, a difference of 4.3 points. Pain didn't differ between the groups, no serious harms were recorded, and the exercise cost £156 a person. The programme was "six sessions of strengthening and stretching exercises with a hand therapist, daily home exercises and strategies to maximise adherence".
At about 26 months there was no longer a difference in hand function between the groups, and the share of people doing the exercises 3 times a week had fallen from 71.4% to 31.4%.
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Across 7 studies (841 people), hand exercise "probably slightly improves function but has little or no difference on pain in the medium and long term", and "Hand exercise probably does not lead to adverse events."
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NICE suggests a tailored strengthening and stretching hand programme, from a practitioner trained in it, for adults with RA whose hands or wrists are painful or don't work well, once "they have been on a stable drug regimen for RA for at least 3 months." On complementary therapies it says "these approaches should not replace conventional treatment".
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A 2020 review pooled a grip gain from two studies, but one wasn't randomised and the other was a letter, and its authors wrote: "Considering methodological limitations, small sample size, and low-quality, we draw a very cautious conclusion in the results of the estimate of the effect." In a randomised trial of 75 inactive adults with RA or knee arthritis, "Balance, grip strength, and flexibility were similar between groups." Our yoga for rheumatoid arthritis guide covers the wider evidence.
In 139,691 adults in 17 countries, each 5 kg less grip went with a 16% higher death rate, and in 502,293 UK adults the figures were 20% in women and 16% in men. Grip reflects whole-body strength and health. These are associations: nobody has shown that training your grip changes the risk, and the authors call for trials to test it.
Exercise in general raised grip a little in older adults (24 trials), with grip-specific training doing more. For yoga, a review of 33 studies in adults over 65 rated the evidence on grip as very low certainty. Grip didn't change with yoga in a randomised trial in arthritis, or with heated yoga in healthy young adults ("There were no changes in handgrip strength"); it rose in a study that wasn't randomised and within the yoga group of a carpal tunnel trial.
To train grip, train it directly: squeeze a soft ball or putty, open your fingers against a band, and carry bags. Our grip strength guide and workout have the doses.
In 20 adults doing 28 hatha poses, every pose stayed under twice body weight. The arms carried on average 0.50 to 0.76 times body weight in the four-limb poses (both dogs, plank, dolphin and a low plank), 0.62 in side plank and 0.73 in crow. The researchers: "Thus, what is considered low-impact for the legs, might with further study be considered high-impact for the upper extremities."
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In handstands, 47.1% of the force went through the little-finger side of the heel of the hand and 36.5% through the thumb side. In push-ups, pressure peaked under the heel of the hand next to the wrist. With the wrist bent right back, the force moved towards the back and the little-finger side of the wrist, and straight-wrist push-ups loaded it more evenly. These are small lab studies of push-ups and handstands, not yoga, but a sun salutation also takes the wrist from 85 to 3 degrees of bend.
We found no study testing whether spreading the fingers, pressing through the knuckles or a clawed hand changes wrist load, pain or injury. Spreading the load across your hand is a reasonable coaching cue, not a proven protection.
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Arm and hand injuries (elbow to finger) were 8.8% of the yoga injuries seen in US emergency departments from 2001 to 2014. In 1,702 German practitioners, hand-, shoulder- and headstands were the practices most often linked with sudden problems (29.4%). Serious problems are rare, and in trials yoga was about as safe as usual care and other exercise. In a self-selected online survey of 321 people who practise handstands, 56.7% reported long-term wrist pain.
Use fists, your forearms or a wall, build up the weight gradually, and leave arm balances until your hands feel ready; our yoga for wrists guide has the steps (our suggestion).
A Cochrane review of 16 trials (741 people) found only limited, very low-quality evidence for any exercise or mobilisation. The NHS: "There's a small amount of evidence to suggest hand exercises help ease the symptoms of CTS." (CTS is carpal tunnel syndrome.)
In 42 people, 11 upper-body poses twice a week for 8 weeks improved Phalen's sign, a wrist-bend test, more than a wrist splint or no treatment (12 improved against 2). Grip and pain improved within the yoga group, but sleep, another nerve test and nerve conduction didn't differ. It was small and preliminary, and we read it as an abstract. Our yoga for carpal tunnel guide covers it.
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A finger that catches or locks as it bends has its own guide: our yoga for trigger finger guide. Tendon glides help keep the finger moving, gently.
We found no trial of hand mudras or finger yoga for hand pain, stiffness, grip or arthritis in PubMed, Europe PMC or ClinicalTrials.gov. Claims that mudras treat headaches, hair loss or the heart are untested. Holding a mudra while you breathe is harmless and a calm way to rest your hands; it isn't a treatment.
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Tendon glides: "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." (from the move page's dose). Wrist and forearm flow 60 seconds (our yoga for arthritis and yoga for wrists classes). Wrist circles 10 slow circles each way (our yoga for wrists class). Wrist extensor stretch: "3 holds of 30 seconds, after the strengthening exercises, once or twice a day." (from the move page's dose). Wrist flexor stretch 30 seconds each side, against a wall rather than the floor (our yoga for wrists class).
Dose: "Daily. Start with 5 repetitions, holding each position for 5 seconds; if that brings no increase in pain or other difficulties, build to 10 repetitions, then 10-second holds (the NHS SARAH leaflet)." (from the move page's dose).
Dose: "Hold each lift for 10 seconds, up to 10 times, at least 3 times a week for about 20 minutes a session including the warm-up" (from the move page's dose). Its page says: "Some slight thumb discomfort afterwards is not unusual but should stop within 24 hours."
Ball squeeze 10 squeezes with 5-second holds, a soft ball if the base of your thumb is sore (our yoga for wrists class and grip strength workout); with rheumatoid arthritis, 10 squeezes of 2 seconds, as hard as you comfortably can (our hand exercises for rheumatoid arthritis). Band finger extension 15 reps (our grip strength workout). Reverse wrist curl, optional, 10 reps with an elastic band held in both hands, pausing 2 seconds and lowering very slowly (our hand exercises for rheumatoid arthritis, from the SARAH programme).
Breath reach: "5 breaths, exhale longer than inhale" (the move page's dose). Mountain pose, palms turned forward: "Stand for 5 to 10 slow breaths, 2 or 3 times. Once you feel steady, add a round with your eyes closed, within reach of a wall (our editorial starting point)." (the move page's dose). Warrior II 3 to 5 breaths each side, arms out and fingers long; chair pose 2 holds of 3 to 5 breaths, arms forward or hands on your hips (our yoga for wrists class). Tree pose 2 holds of 20 to 30 seconds each side, fingertips lightly on a wall (our yoga for carpal tunnel class).
Only once moving and squeezing feel comfortable. Wall push-up 2 sets of 10, stepping further from the wall to take more weight; quadruped wrist rocks 10 slow rocks in each hand position; sphinx 2 holds of 3 to 5 breaths; dolphin 2 holds of 5 breaths, knees bent (our yoga for wrists class). Cat-cow: "8 waves, slower than feels natural" (the move page's dose), on fists or forearms if your hands complain. Forearm plank 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds (our yoga for wrists guide).
3D demoWall push-upBeginner · A wall
3D demoQuadruped wrist rocksBeginner · No equipment
3D demoCat-cowBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSphinx pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoDolphin pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)Intermediate · No equipment
3D demoForearm plankIntermediate · No equipmentChild's pose, arms by your sides with palms up: "Hold 1 to 3 minutes, breathing into the back ribs; return to it whenever you need a rest." (the move page's dose). Slow breathing 2 minutes, hands palm up on your thighs, in for about 4 and out for about 6; corpse pose 3 minutes, a cushion under each forearm if you like (our yoga for carpal tunnel class).
Its page says: "This puts body weight into a deep wrist bend: skip it with carpal tunnel symptoms, a recent wrist injury or fracture, wrist or thumb arthritis, or irritable golfer's elbow, and use the wrist flexor stretch against a wall instead."
They put the heaviest loads through bent-back wrists and hands, so leave them until last, or out, while your hands are sore. Crow's page says: "Skip with wrist injury". Upward-facing dog's says: "Wrist pain, a recent shoulder injury or late pregnancy all mean choose cobra instead."
The plate pinch's page says: "Skip it with arthritis at the base of the thumb or de Quervain's: a hard pinch multiplies the force at the base of the thumb." Hard grip trainers can wait until your fingers are comfortable with the gentler moves (our suggestion).
The median nerve glide is for carpal tunnel syndrome, not general stiffness; our yoga for carpal tunnel guide has it, with its dose.
Keep prayer hands light and brief, or hold your palms apart, if your fingers tingle; our yoga for wrists guide explains why (our suggestion).
The five positions and the dose are the tendon glides move page's (4 to 6 of each position with 5-second holds, from an NHS hand-therapy leaflet). Its page says it shouldn't be painful, though the fingers may feel stretched.
See the movement on the 3D figure: Tendon glides (hand tendon gliding exercises)
Our 20-minute yoga for the hands class puts the hand moves into a hand-friendly practice, with weight on the hands only as an option. With rheumatoid arthritis, the hand exercises routine follows the SARAH programme; the wrists, arthritis and carpal tunnel classes cover those in full.
A 20-minute yoga class for stiff, achy or weak hands: finger and thumb movements, a gentle squeeze, poses that keep your hands free, and rest.
20 minBeginner15 movesWall, other / check instructionsA 20-minute yoga class for wrists: a gentle warm-up, poses with the hands free, then weight through the hands in stages, from a wall to all fours to the forearms.
20 minBeginner18 movesWall, other / check instructionsThe daily stretches and strengthening moves from the SARAH hand trial and NHS hand therapy leaflets: finger bends, finger walking, wrist circles, squeezes and pinches.
15 minBeginner7 movesDumbbell, bench or boxA 30-minute joint-friendly yoga class for arthritis: seated breathing and joint warm-ups, standing poses with a chair, gentle lying poses and a long relaxation.
30 minBeginner17 movesBench or box, wallA gentle 30-minute yoga class for rheumatoid arthritis: slow breathing, hand, foot and spine moves in a chair, standing poses with a chair, then supported rest.
30 minBeginner19 movesBench or box, other / check instructionsA 25-minute wrist-free yoga class for carpal tunnel: slow breathing, nerve and tendon glides, seated moves, standing poses with hands free, and forearm poses.
25 minBeginner17 movesBench or boxA 20-minute grip session: warm up the wrists and fingers, train the hand and forearm muscles, then carry and hang to load your grip the way everyday life does.
20 minBeginner10 movesOther / check instructions, bandWrist mobility and forearm strength for desk work, climbing, push-ups and handstands.
10 minBeginner7 movesWall, dumbbellDaily stretches for tight skin and stiff joints in the hands, wrists and face, from scleroderma charity handouts and trials, done after warming your hands.
12 minBeginner8 movesWallA 15-minute chair yoga routine done entirely sitting: slow breathing, neck, shoulder and wrist stretches, seated twists and side bends, and a calm finish.
15 minBeginner16 movesBench or boxA free 20-minute chair yoga class for older adults: slow breathing, gentle seated stretches and twists, standing poses holding the chair, and a calm finish.
20 minBeginner18 movesBench or box, something with weightThe plate pinch's page says: "Skip it with arthritis at the base of the thumb or de Quervain's: a hard pinch multiplies the force at the base of the thumb." Use a soft ball for squeezes, and keep weight off bent-back wrists in poses, as our yoga for arthritis guide advises.
The tendon glides' page says: "With trigger finger, ease a stuck finger straight gently, ideally after warming the hand, and never force it." The ball squeeze's says: "With trigger finger, leave hard squeezing until the finger has stopped catching". Take weight on your forearms rather than your fists, as our yoga for wrists guide says.
The wrist flexor stretch's page says: "With active carpal tunnel symptoms keep the pressure gentle and stop if symptoms flare afterwards."
The tendon glides' page says: "After hand surgery or a tendon repair, do these only as your surgeon or hand therapist says."
The quadruped wrist rocks' page says: "Sharp wrist pain, numbness, or a past wrist fracture deserves a clinician's opinion first. Start with less body weight through the hands."
The headstand's page says: "With rheumatoid arthritis that affects your neck, leave this out". Our yoga for rheumatoid arthritis guide covers the neck.
Keep stretches mild and in the middle of your range, and favour the strengthening moves: the NHS says not to overextend your joints just because you can.
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See your GP first if you get chest pain, breathlessness or dizziness when you are active, if you have a heart condition and want to exercise harder, or if you have had a fall.
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These are the site's lines from our hand pain, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel guides, word for word, with the NHS's own words where the site has no line. This is general information, not a diagnosis. A&E means accident and emergency; in the US, call 911 for 999, and use your doctor's urgent line or urgent care for NHS 111.
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Call 999, even if it passes: sudden weakness or numbness in one arm, with a drooping face or slurred speech. These are signs of a stroke.
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Our carpal tunnel syndrome guide's rule: some discomfort is fine if it stays at about 5 out of 10 or less and settles within half an hour or so. With nerve glides, a little extra tingling is expected but should fade within an hour. Stop and get advice if numbness spreads, lasts, or your grip or thumb gets weaker.
Source 2
The NHS: "You should see your GP if you have persistent symptoms of osteoarthritis so they can confirm the diagnosis and prescribe any necessary treatment."
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Get help the same day for a hot, swollen joint with a fever, or severe pain and swelling that came on suddenly in one joint.
Some pain when you start is common and isn't a sign of harm if it settles. A hot, swollen joint is different: rest it from strengthening.
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In a flare, rest the inflamed joints but keep them moving gently, then build back up.
NICE says everyone with RA should have rapid access to specialist care for flares. If a flare doesn't settle, or comes with feeling unwell, call your rheumatology advice line rather than pushing through.
If a joint is hot and swollen, do the stretches only, gently, until it settles.
"If it hurts, stop", the Johns Hopkins arthritis team says. Stop and rest if a pose makes a joint warm and swollen or causes severe pain, and ease off next time if a joint aches more the next day.
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Squeeze gently, not as hard as you can, on a sore day; with arthritis at the base of the thumb use a soft ball, and rest grip work while a finger joint is hot and swollen (our suggestion, from the NHS finger pain advice not to grip anything too tightly).
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Call 999 if:
Call 999 or go to A&E (accident and emergency) straight away for severe difficulty breathing (gasping, choking or not able to get words out), a chest that feels tight or heavy, pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw, lips or skin turning very pale, blue or grey, or sudden confusion. If you're more short of breath than usual, or your heart is racing, fluttering or skipping beats, contact NHS 111.
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If you get chest pain or pressure, feel faint or dizzy, are unusually breathless, or your heart races or beats irregularly during exercise, as our plans advise.
A joint pain that is sharp, gets worse during a session, lingers into the next day or changes how you move is a reason to use an easier version, and to see a GP or physiotherapist if it keeps happening (the rule in our plans). Muscle soreness for a day or two after something new is normal. In a hot class, stop if you feel dizzy, sick or unwell; our hot yoga guide lists the signs of heat illness.
You can say no to any hands-on adjustment, and a teacher registered with Yoga Alliance must get your explicit consent each time.
With glaucoma, or high blood pressure that isn't under control, skip headstands, shoulder stands and long head-down holds. With osteoporosis, swap deep forward folds for a flat-back hinge from the hips, and twist smoothly. In pregnancy, our yoga in pregnancy guide covers the changes. NCCIH advises beginners to avoid headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing.
The NHS advises getting advice from a healthcare professional first if you have a health problem, an injury or symptoms, or have recently had a heart attack or an operation.
If you have a heart, lung or joint condition, are pregnant or have recently been unwell, start gently and read our guide for your condition. Muscle soreness for a day or two after a new exercise is common and fades as you repeat it.
If you have a heart condition, follow your cardiac team's advice on how hard to work, and stop for the warning signs above. People with long-term conditions may wish to ask their specialist before starting. With uncontrolled high blood pressure, avoid straining against a held breath; the high blood pressure guide has more.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, and the NHS says "There's no cure for rheumatoid arthritis." Yoga has one small trial in hand osteoarthritis, and a review found no effect. Hand exercises ease pain and stiffness a little while you keep doing them.
NICE wants people reassured "that exercise is not harmful to osteoarthritic joints", hand exercise probably causes no harm in rheumatoid arthritis, and the NHS advises gentle finger exercises after a few days rather than not using a sore finger. Pain may rise a little at first.
We found no trial of them for anything in the hands, or for headaches or hair. A mudra is a resting hand position for breathing, not a treatment.
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Grip didn't change with yoga in randomised trials; the pooled result claiming it did rests on a study that wasn't randomised and a letter. Squeezing, opening against a band and carrying train grip more directly.
Weaker grip goes with higher death rates in large studies, but that's an association; nobody has shown that training grip changes it.
We found no study of it. Most force goes through the heel of the hand; spreading the load is a reasonable cue, and fists, forearms or a wall are the swaps for sore hands.
Yoga is about as safe as other exercise, and hand and wrist injuries are a small share of yoga injuries; hand-, shoulder- and headstands carry the most risk. Hand-free and forearm versions let you practise with sore hands.
It can help by keeping your hands moving, but the evidence for yoga itself is one small trial in hand arthritis. Hand exercises, which a hand-friendly yoga practice can include, eased pain and stiffness a little in trials. Hands-free and forearm poses let you keep practising on sore days.
It may help a little: in about 25 people with hand osteoarthritis, weekly yoga eased pain during activity and tenderness, but the trial was weak, and a review found no clear effect. Hand exercises have better evidence, and yoga doesn't cure arthritis or replace your GP or hand therapist.
Tendon glides (a straight hand, a hook, a fist, a tabletop and a straight fist), finger spreads and wrist circles, done slowly with your forearm supported. The NHS suggests gentle hand and finger exercises after a few days of a sore finger. Our 20-minute class has them with doses.
Train grip directly: squeeze a soft ball or putty, open your fingers against a band, and carry bags or weights. Yoga hasn't been shown to raise grip in randomised trials, and the evidence in older adults is very low certainty.
In large studies, weaker grip goes with higher death rates, about 16% to 20% higher for each 5 kg less. That's an association: grip reflects overall strength and health, and nobody has shown that training grip changes the risk.
Your arms take about half to three quarters of your body weight in those poses, mostly through the heel of the hand and with the wrist bent back. Use fists, your forearms or a wall, and build up the weight gradually, as our yoga for wrists guide explains.
Yes, alongside your medicines. A tailored hand programme improved hand function a little in a large NHS trial, and NICE suggests one once your medicines have been stable for 3 months. In a flare, keep the joints moving gently and skip squeezing; our yoga for rheumatoid arthritis guide covers the rest.
We found no trial of them for hand pain, stiffness, grip or anything else. They're a calm resting position for your hands while you breathe, not a treatment.
One small trial found some symptoms improved with upper-body yoga, but exercise for carpal tunnel syndrome rests on very low-quality evidence. Keep your wrists near straight and off your palms while your fingers tingle; our yoga for carpal tunnel guide has a wrist-free class.
Little and often: the SARAH programme asked for daily home exercises, and our hand arthritis guide uses 3 sessions a week. Keep going, because the benefits faded when people stopped.
For several swollen, stiff finger joints with morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, a hot swollen joint, numbness or tingling, or fingers that won't straighten or bend: see the warning signs. Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis matters.
Exercise education, not a personal prescription, and clinical review of these guides is pending. If you are pregnant, have a health condition such as glaucoma, high blood pressure or osteoporosis, or have had recent surgery, check with a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist before starting, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.
