Strengthening Exercises for Hands & Feet
When it comes to exercising and keeping healthy, most f your clients will have every area of the body covered, but have you ever considered strengthening exercises for your hands, wrists, ankles, and feet? They are actually significant areas to spend a little time on while working out.
Why is it essential to have strong and healthy hands?
Having strong and healthy hands is essential for a variety of reasons. They allow us to perform basic daily tasks such as writing, eating, and using tools. Exercising your hands, ankles, and feet can reduce soreness, whether you’ve been on your feet all day or working at a desk where you are constantly moving your hands. It can also help ensure you are still getting the support and range of movement you need. They also help us to perform activities such as sports, playing musical instruments, and engaging in hobbies. Furthermore, strong and healthy hands help to prevent injury, as they can better support the weight and strain of certain activities. Finally, healthy hands are important for maintaining good overall health. Weak hands and fingers can lead to a variety of injuries including:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendinitis
- Trigger Finger
- Cramping
- Weak Grip
- Joint Stiffness
- Arthritis
- Tenosynovitis
Why should personal trainers include hand and feet strengthening exercises for their clients?
Hand and feet strengthening exercises are important for personal trainers to include for clients because they can help improve balance and coordination, reduce risk of injury, and improve overall strength. Hand and feet strengthening exercises can also help with fine motor skills, which can help with everyday activities like writing and typing. Additionally, strengthening the muscles in the hands and feet can improve grip strength, which can help with activities like lifting weights and playing sports.
Why do athletes need strong hands and feet?
Athletes need strong hands and feet to help them perform better in their sport. Strong hands and feet help athletes better grip sports equipment and maintain balance during movement. They also help athletes to generate more power when throwing, kicking, and striking, and allow them to better control the movements they make.
Hand Anatomy
The hand is made up of many small bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that provide support and movement. The bones include the carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges. The muscles of the hand are divided into extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic muscles allow movement of the wrist, thumb, and fingers, while the intrinsic muscles move the joints of the fingers and thumb.
The tendons of the hand attach the muscles to the bones and are encased in a tendon sheath that helps to reduce friction as the tendons glide over the bone. The ligaments of the hand join bones to other bones and provide support and stability. Finally, the nerves of the hand provide sensation to the fingers and thumb.
What types of activities require strong hands?
- Rock climbing
- Weight lifting
- Martial arts
- Gardening
- Rowing
- Tennis
- Playing a musical instrument
- Hammering
- Lifting heavy objects
- Playing tug-of-war
What types of exercises are good for strengthening your hands and grip?
- Squeeze a Ball or Grip Strengthener: Squeezing a ball or grip strengthener is a great way to improve your hand and forearm strength.
- Finger Curls: Finger curls are a simple way to strengthen your fingers. Start by curling your fingers around a metal or rubber bar. Slowly lift and lower the bar while keeping your fingers curled around it.
- Wrist Curls: To perform wrist curls, sit on a chair and rest your forearms on your thighs. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and curl your wrists up towards your body, then lower them back down.
- Squeeze a Stress Ball: Squeezing a stress ball is a great way to develop grip strength and dexterity.
- Towel Curls: This exercise involves curling a towel with your fingers and thumbs. Start by crumpling a towel and holding it in your hands. Squeeze the towel, curling your fingers and thumbs, and then release.
- Finger Extensions: Finger extensions are a simple way to strengthen your hands. Start by making a fist and then slowly extend your fingers outward. Hold for a few seconds and then release.
Other exercises for strengthening the hands include Squeeze Blocks, Plate Pinches, Pull-Ups and Push-Ups, and Farmer’s Walks.
Why is it essential to have strong feet?
Strong feet are important for overall balance, stability, and mobility. They help you walk, run, jump, and stay balanced, and can help you stay injury-free. Strong feet can also help you move more efficiently and perform better in sports and activities.
Anatomy of the Feet and Ankles
The feet and ankles are made up of multiple bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments. The feet have thirty-three joints and twenty-six bones. The bones of the feet are arranged in four arches – the longitudinal and transverse arches, which support the body’s weight, and the medial and lateral longitudinal arches, which help to increase shock absorption during walking and running. The ankles are made up of two major bones, the tibia and fibula, which form a strong hinge joint that allows for up-and-down and side-to-side movement.
The muscles and ligaments of the feet and ankles provide stability and help to control and maintain balance. The muscles of the feet and ankles, including the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, flexor digitorum longus, and peroneus longus, help to move the foot and toes. The ligaments of the foot and ankle, such as the deltoid ligament and the anterior talofibular ligament, provide stability and help to protect against excessive movement.
How common are injuries because of weak feet and ankles?
Injuries due to weak feet and ankles are fairly common, especially among athletes and those who are physically active. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries, accounting for approximately 15-30% of all sports injuries. Additionally, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society estimates that over 1 million ankle sprains occur each year in the United States.
What types of activities strengthen your feet and ankles?
- Toe Raises: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rise up onto your toes, then lower yourself back down.
- Calf Raises: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rise up onto your toes, then lower yourself back down.
- Single Leg Balance: Stand on one foot and try to keep your balance for 30-60 seconds.
- Heel Walks: Walk on your heels for 20-30 seconds.
- Ankle Circles: Stand on one foot and rotate your ankle in a circular motion, clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Ankle Pumps: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and move your ankles up and down.
- Heel Toe Walks: Walk on your heels and toes for 20-30 seconds.
Conclusion
Ultimately, adequate training programs cover all the muscle groups to ensure our clients are in the best possible shape. We certainly shouldn’t neglect our hands and fingers for as much as they do for us all in and out of the gym.
Be on the lookout for future articles. You will also want to search through the archives of our blog because there are many other articles that go into great depth about a variety of topics. Here are two for you to check out now!
- Is It Better to Do Cardio Before or After Weights?
- 5 Simple Ways To Ease Sore Muscles After A Challenging Workout
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