The small bones protruding from the ends of our hands meticulously function throughout our everyday lives to perform tasks with remarkable dexterity and precision, beginning first thing in the morning and maintaining their efficient productivity until the last moments before our heads rest on a pillow and we transition into a deep slumber. These little bones are our fingers. Sometimes referred to as digits or phalanges, the fingers are powered by small ligaments, tendons, and muscles that encircle each bone. The fingers are equipped with a network of nerves that immediately receive a signal from our brain, which then travels through our spinal cord and ends up at the tips of each of our ten fingers. This signal contains messages instructing our fingers to move harmoniously and in an intricately organized fashion to execute fine motor movements. These small organs, located at the end of our hands, don’t receive a lot of attention compared to other joints and muscles in the body. Why are the fingers just as important as other commonly injured joints, such as the neck, shoulder, lower back, hips, knees, or ankles? We probably don’t think twice about how important our fingers are until they have trouble functioning. The anatomy of the fingers is more complex than what they first appear, and the condition of our fingers is critically important to our overall quality of life.
As I sit in my computer chair typing this article, I’m engaging in a tremendous amount of neuromuscular interactions by striking the keys with the tips of my fingers, utilizing the skills I was taught in grade school to type over sixty words per minute. There have been moments when I’ve cut the tip of my thumb or one of the neighboring fingers, in which a band-aid had to be placed on that finger to lessen the impact of hitting a key so I wouldn’t be distracted by the annoying pain of each key click. That seemingly small distraction also disrupted my efficiency in tasks such as grabbing a fork to scramble my eggs in the morning, zipping the zipper of my hoodie, and typing on my keyboard while answering emails and conducting administrative duties. Who would’ve thought the seemingly simple activity of pressing down on a space bar, “e” key, or shift button could be taken away by a minor flesh wound?
For some members of the general population, a small cut to the tip of the finger is minor compared to other factors that hinder finger strength and everyday life human functionality. Degenerative bone and joint conditions, such as osteoporosis and arthritis in the wrist and fingers, can impair an individual’s normal daily functions. These conditions not only cause pain in the fingers, wrists, and hands but can also lead to physical deformity due to the progression of arthritis. After long careers of hand usage to conduct rigorous physical labor, such as swinging hammers as a craftsman, working with a knife as a chef, or being a massage therapist for years, arthritic physical side effects can appear in which the interphalangeal joints between each digit in the fingers can deviate in an abnormal direction away from normal joint congruency, creating fingers that appear crooked when compared to their normal straight alignment. Additionally, the deterioration of tendon and ligament strength within the fingers can occur over time if excessive stress is applied throughout a career of demanding physical activity. The result of years of hard work using our hands can lead to a loss of strength, reduced ability to fully flex or extend the fingers, and impaired neuromuscular coordination throughout the fingers.
As the physical stresses of being a successful human in our society seem to appear at multiple angles, in addition to our finger and hand health, we don’t need to settle on the fact that we might be dealing with maladies that appear permanent. We can always make an effort to improve our situation and progress towards a better outcome. In the case of finger and hand performance, adhering to a consistent exercise program can lead to positive outcomes in enhancing finger and hand strength, allowing us to operate more efficiently in various activities that involve hand and finger movements.
A simple and effective movement we instruct most of our personal training clients to perform at the beginning of each training session includes a forearm, wrist, and finger warm-up:
Finger Flexion and Extension: To perform the finger flexion and extension exercise, start by extending your arms in front of you at about armpit level. Straighten the fingers away from the body until you experience a muscular sensation in the back of the hand, wrist, and forearms. Reverse the motion by making a fist and squeezing with both hands, as if you’re wringing out a wet towel, until you experience a muscular sensation in your forearms. Repeat this movement with both hands simultaneously for five to ten repetitions.
If we’re looking to improve grip strength or tactics to reduce wrist or finger arthritic discomfort, adhering to a consistent exercise routine one to three times per week is critically important. Whether it’s completing a self-guided workout for forty-five minutes at Planet Fitness, attending Yoga classes, or setting aside time for an at-home exercise routine, consistency in an exercise program is a critically important asset in maintaining not only hand health but also the overall health of the body. If you have time, try to incorporate a few finger-specific exercises into your routine before starting the day. The results of a strong set of fingers has the potential to create a surprisingly happier, healthier, and stronger life for years to come.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
