When examining one’s personal health and general well-being, one of the last things to come to mind may be the health of the hands. Though they are overlooked often, the hands need the same care, exercise and stretching that other muscles and joints of the body need. Various activities can cause the hands to become weak, the bones to weaken and the joints more likely to develop arthritis.

Hand dexterity exercises were developed simply to massage and stretch the joints and muscles of the hand, creating greater strength, flexibility and coordination. Most of these exercises feel very good on the hands and trying a few of these simple stretches each day can not only prevent developmental diseases in the hand and joints, but also make the hands stronger and more nimble.

One favorite hand exercise is the “Finger Flex.” It can be found at here and is shown exactly as it sounds. Starting with a fist, slowly open the hand and flex the fingers out to the sides simultaneously. Repeat several times for better joint health. For the musician, try playing the “Air Piano,” pretending to play keys one by one. For more difficult hand exercises that require and develop more coordination, NimbleFingers has an interesting set of “finger dances” such as the “Samba” and the “Two Step.” Though these movements require practice and motivation, they are highly effective for developing finger fitness and independence.

As with all forms of exercise, attitude is key to success. A poor attitude can lead to a lack of motivation to continue. Instead of thinking of the time it takes to do the hand exercises, one should instead ponder the health benefits that will result from the time being invested. Also, repetition is important. Ongoing hand exercise will reveal the greatest results. Even when time doesn’t allow for a full hand and finger workout, doing simple things such as rubbing the hands can be equally effective and less time consuming.

Hand exercise costs nothing, is easy to do and requires no excess equipment, making it accessible for people of all ages and financial situations. The benefits are wonderful, causing stress reduction now and better joint health later. It is never too early or too late to start a hand dexterity exercise regimen.