Joint Exercises for Arthritis

Shoulder Exercise

Lie on your back. Raise one arm over your head, keeping your elbow straight. Try to bring your arm close to your ear. Return your arm slowly to your side. Repeat this exercise with your other arm. Repeat with alternating arms. This exercise is also permitted by US arthritis Foundation.

Clasp your hands behind your back. Move your hands up your back to mid back. Return down to buttocks and repeat. Remember to keep your head and back erect. This exercise is also permitted by US arthritis Foundation.

Stand upright and hold a cane or a stick firmly from both ends with your arms extended fully forward. Raise the cane or stick as high overhead as possible. You might try doing this in front of a mirror. You don’t have to move both ends to the same height-play around with it. Try raising it to different heights till you reach a comfortable level, then gradually increase your lift.

Shoulder and Elbow Exercise

Clasp your hands behind your head. Move your elbows back as far as you can. As you move your elbows back, pull your chin in. Return to starting position and repeat.

Wrist Exercise

With the forearm resting firmly on a tabletop and the hand hanging over the edge of the table, bend your wrist up as far as possible. Hold. Bend your wrist down as far as possible. Hold. Repeat. This exercise is also permitted by US arthritis Foundation.

a) Place your hands together by joining the palms and keeping the fingers straight. b) Press the right hand backward with the left hand, then reverse and press the left hand backward with the right hand. Exert pressure at the palm and not on the fingertips. Bend the wrist just as much as possible.