Maintaining hand dexterity for as long as possible enables independence and the easy management of daily tasks in senior years. While it can be harder to maintain manual dexterity and fine motor skills as we age, there are easy daily exercises and activities that can keep your fingers flexible and effective. These are some exercises and activities you could try. If you do have any health issues, check with your doctor to make sure these activities are suitable for you.

Examples Of Activities Requiring Manual Dexterity Definition
Activities Requiring Manual Dexterity
Examples Of Manual Dexterity Activities

Play string games

String games like Cat’s Cradle keep your hands and fingers strong and flexible.1 All you will need is a length of string of about 90 to 180 centimetres in length.2 Buy a book or look online for the different string games you can practice with – there are many out there that not only work your fingers and hands, but also your brain. Best of all, string games are a simple yet engaging game you can play by yourself or with others, anywhere, at any time.

Manual dexterity involves the development of hand-eye coordination and very fine motor control. Imagine the level of care and precision required in certain activities, hobbies and professions that involve small, meticulous actions with your hands, such as sewing, painting and playing a musical instrument. A fine motor skill is any skill that involves the use of the small muscles in the hands, in accordance with what the eyes see. Fine motor activities include anything that requires the strength, coordination and precise movements of the hand muscle.

Use a locks and latches board

Set up a locks and latches board or a nuts and bolts board and enjoy practising with it a few times a day. The locking/unlocking and latching/unlatching motions will keep your brain engaged while working your fingers and hands.

Enjoy origami

Origami is a fun and rewarding craft activity anyone can take up. All you need is some colourful origami folding paper and origami designs to get started. You can buy a book or look online for the numerous ways you can turn paper into origami masterpieces.3 When it comes to designs, there are animals, flowers, everyday items, and figurines, as well as boxes that serve a utilitarian purpose.

Learn a musical instrument

Your retirement years could be the perfect time to master a new musical instrument.4 Playing an instrument like the piano, flute, clarinet or violin gives you the chance to flex your fingers and work your hand muscles, plus mastering an instrument will give you a sense of accomplishment. Practising even just ten minutes a day could keep your hands strong and more flexible.

Play with clay or putty

Playing with clay or putty is a wonderful activity for improving and maintaining hand dexterity.5 As you work the clay into a desired shape the resistance of the clay strengthens your fingers and hands. Start with a basic challenge, such as balls or sticks, and then gradually venture into more complex shapes. Check online for ideas for clay and putty shapes. There are therapeutic putties you can buy, and these are designed especially for improving manual dexterity.

Take up sewing and knitting

Sewing and knitting can become rewarding hobbies for those looking to improve their manual dexterity. The precise movements required for both encourages you to practise and work different hand muscles. You can start by hand sewing simple things like buttons or knitting a basic design before moving on to more complex items, such as patchworks and jumpers or cardigans.

Examples Of Activities Requiring Manual Dexterity Definition

Practise handwriting

Handwriting is another way to get your hands and fingers moving. Seniors who are seeking to improve the flexibility of their fingers can start by picking up a pen or pencil and writing without using their thumb. Move on to writing with your non-dominant hand to keep it working as hard as your dominant hand.

Hand exercises

Examples of activities requiring manual dexterity in hand

Hand exercises are one of the best ways to keep your fingers and hands working and flexible. These exercises work different areas of your hand.

Make a fist

The fist exercise is a great way to improve strength and dexterity of the finger joints,6 and it’s very simple to do. Start by making a fist and then squeezing inward on the fist as hard as you can manage. Hold for three to five seconds, and release slowly. Do the same with the other hand, and repeat five times for each.

O exercise

The O exercise is also simple to do.7 Start by making an O figure with your thumb and index finger, and make sure your other fingers are kept straight as you do so. Hold for a few seconds and bring your index finger back up. Make another O with your middle finger and thumb, all the while keeping the other fingers straight. Repeat for the remaining two fingers. Vary the exercise by doing it as fast as you can, but still hold the O for a few seconds each time.

Thumb flexes

Our thumbs are core to manual dexterity because they allow us to grip things securely.7 Practising thumb flexes every day enables you to keep your thumbs strong and flexible. To do a thumb flex, start by holding a hand in front of you with your fingers grouped together and your thumb separated. Bend your thumb across your palm until it touches your pinkie. Hold for several seconds and return to the original position. Free visca usb software downloads. Repeat ten times.

Do finger lifts

Finger lifts can be challenging for those with stiff hands and fingers, but they can greatly help with improving dexterity. To do a finger lift, start by laying your palm flat on a table or some other stable surface. Lift one finger off the table without moving the other fingers. Repeat five times for each finger before moving onto the next, and do more repetitions as you gain more flexibility in each finger.

1 Dec 2016

Manual dexterity is the ability of the hands and fingers to make coordinated movements. Strong fine motor skills, such as used with writing, knitting, sewing, and other activities that involve the hands and fingers, rely on this dexterity. In young children, it is developed normally through routine activities that also require hand-eye coordination.

Some children’s manual dexterity develops faster and stronger than that of others. A child with weak final motor skills may struggle some when learning to form letters and beginning to write. Because there are many reasons why fine motor skills may be affected and weaknesses in these areas may cause problems for children in school, pediatric occupational therapists often work with a variety of children to improve these abilities.

There are several ways to help a child improve his or her manual dexterity through simple hands-on activities. For a child, exercising the fingers and hands can dramatically lead to dramatic improvement. Parents may want to try some of the following activities:

Activities Requiring Manual Dexterity

Children can thread O-shaped cereal pieces onto a length of yarn. This activity requires fine motor skills and is repetitively exercising the same muscles, all while practicing hand-eye coordination.

Wooden peg games or similar toys that require placing pegs into small holes can improve motor skills.

Sewing with yarn and cardboard cutouts is another activity that can improve manual dexterity and builds on fine motor skills. Children simply feed the yarn back and forth through holes, which is again repeating the same skill over and over.

For particularly young children who cannot play with small objects, a classic shape sorter toy is a great place to start. For older children, small, interlocking building blocks are great ways to play while improving this ability.

Where young children are concerned, the goal is to improve manual dexterity to build fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. In older individuals suffering from the onset of arthritis, however, preserving these ski