5 easy exercises that keep hands young and strong


LearnHealthy agingLiving well with Dupuytren’s contracture5 easy exercises that keep hands young and strong
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If you have stiff hands, it can be difficult to turn a key, open a jar or write. To ease the stiffness, aches and pains, move your hands every day. “If you don't use certain motions in the hand, you will lose them,” says Sam Crosby, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Elite Sports Medicine and Orthopedics at TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.

Try these five exercises to keep your hands moving freely, but remember to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine. If you feel pain, tingling or popping or are unable to do these exercises, see a hand specialist.

Written by Taylor Dahl.
Medically reviewed by Mark Arredondo, MD.September, 2025
Updated onAugust, 2026

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