#Hand cast how to#
#Hand cast upgrade#
#Hand cast full#
#Hand cast free#

Follow along progressive finger exercises in a cast. Now let’s get into exercises that get you moving more than wiggling. It can compress your nerves and blood supply to your hand and fingers.ĭisclaimer: Always make sure that you check with your doctor before you start any exercise program to your fingers or arm. And that is okay.Īlso, talk to your doctor if your cast is too loose or too tight.

It can take time to build up your motion.

Keep in mind, everyone’s injury, cast, and overall health is different.

#Hand cast upgrade#

Luckily, there are several effective exercises to upgrade your wiggling movement safely. This can lead to stiff, painful, and swollen fingers that can take months to recover. If you only wiggle your fingers for weeks, you’re only going to be able to wiggle your fingers when your cast comes off. On average your cast will be on your wrist for 4-6 weeks, sometimes longer. You’ll have good days where your fingers feel loose and then the next day…bam!

#Hand cast full#

Overtime start increasing your range of motion.ĭon’t be hard on yourself if you can’t make a full fist. So give yourself a few days of rest, then slowly start wiggling your fingers. Of course, the first few days after your injury the last thing you’re probably thinking about is moving your fingers. In fact, moving any body part, not in your cast, can lead to a better overall recovery. This will decrease finger swelling and prevent stiffness from settling in. Kickstart your finger motion and grip strength with my GET A GRIP Program How often should I wiggle my fingers in a cast?įirst, if ask your doctor or request to see a hand therapist to get a customized program tailored to you.Īs a general rule, you’ll want to move your fingers, elbow, and shoulder at least 5-6 times a day. After a few days, you will want to move more than what wiggling provides for your fingers.Īs you can tell there is a bit more to wiggling your fingers in a cast.

#Hand cast how to#

Often there is no education, or training, on how to advance your motion safely.Me showing how to do shoulder exercises with an arm cast on YouTube. Shoulders and elbows can get very stiff too. Typically there is no emphasis on moving your other body parts too.How many times a day are you supposed to wiggle? Once a day for 5 minutes? 5 times a day for 1 minute? All day? Often you are not given instruction on dosage and duration.If you have a cast that fits high on your large knuckles, aka MP joints, then wiggling won’t provide enough full finger range of motion.Notice how the little joints of your fingers, the DIP and PIP joints, don’t move very much if at all. Most of the wiggling motion is performed only at your large knuckles, aka your MP joints.Therefore your thumb can become very stiff. Most people will only move their fingers, because that is what they are told to do. There is not enough emphasis on thumb motion.Here’s what’s wrong with being told to only wiggle your fingers: Why wiggling fingers in a cast is not enough.įirst off, it’s normal for this type of movement to be all you can do in the very beginning.īut as your wrist heals over the next several days and weeks, you it is important to progress from wiggling to more effective exercises. More than likely, your doctor, or nurse, will give you the wiggling your finger exercise. Whether you have surgery or not, your wrist will be protected but your fingers will be free. Typically with a broken wrist you are immediately put into a cast, or it’s off to surgery. Your fingers do so much more than wiggle. Finally, stick around for specific exercises that provide more finger motion than wiggling.When you should be progressing from wiggling to more effective types of movements.How often you should be wiggling your fingers in your cast.That is why in this blog post, I’ll cover: However, it’s important to mention wiggling requires very little active motion.Īfter a few days you should be moving more!

#Hand cast free#

So, yes, you definitely want to wiggle your fingers if they are free from your cast. This can decrease your chances of developing severe finger stiffness and swelling. Do you want to avoid stiff fingers while wearing a cast? Wiggling fingers in a cast is one of the best things you can do in the beginning stages of your injury recovery.