Wrist and hand breaks for keyboard hands

Your hands have been in roughly one shape since your first meeting. These open them back up, and they take less time than the email you are avoiding.

1. 

   1. Wrist circles

   Make a loose fist or open hand and circle the wrist slowly one way, then the other.

   Feel it: your wrists loosening in both directions

   Avoid: Forcing through sharp pain.

2. 

   2. Wrist flexor stretch

   Arm forward, elbow soft, palm facing up. Use the other hand to gently ease the fingers toward the floor until you feel a stretch in the forearm.

   Feel it: the underside of your forearm

   Avoid: Locking the elbow hard.

3. 

   3. Wrist extensor stretch

   Arm forward, elbow soft, palm facing down. Use the other hand to gently ease the fingers toward you until you feel a stretch on top of the forearm.

   Feel it: the top of your forearm

   Avoid: Bouncing into the stretch.

4. 

   4. Finger fans

   Spread all fingers wide, then close into a soft fist. Repeat without clenching hard.

   Feel it: your hands opening after hours of typing

   Avoid: Clenching hard if hands are sore.

5. 

   5. Standing wrist shake-out

   Stand with arms relaxed. Gently shake out the hands, then circle the wrists a few times each direction. Keep shoulders down.

   Feel it: your hands and forearms unclenching

   Avoid: Tensing the shoulders up by the ears while shaking.

• Ease into the flexor and extensor stretches. Numbness or pins and needles means back off.