3 Hand Exercises for Hair Stylists Having Pain

No career comes with a pain-free guarantee. Construction workers hurt their backs lifting; office employees hurt their shoulders with poor posture; and hands-on careers like hairdressing come with plenty of neck, foot, and hand pain. Since your hands are holding your tools, they’re the most important part of your body to maintain, although your neck and feet are important as well. Keep reading to learn about three hand exercises for hair stylists who are experiencing pain.

Inner Wrist Massage

Many of the exercises we’re going to share focus on the wrist since this is where most hand pain comes from. A short wrist massage that you can do yourself throughout the day is a great way to help alleviate hand pain. While it’s not exactly an exercise, it is a good daily practice. Start by holding your hand in front of you, palm-up. Bring the thumb of your opposite hand to the center of your wrist. Press into the crease of your wrist with the tip of your thumb. Slowly massage this area in a circular motion for 10-15 seconds. Repeat on your opposite wrist.

Outer Wrist Stretch

After you’ve worked on the inside muscles of your wrist, you’ll want to focus on the outside muscles of your wrist. To do this, you should fully extend your arm in front of you until your elbow is straight. Twist your arm so that your palm is down if it’s not facing down already. Raise your other hand and interlock the fingers of that hand with the hand that is extended and facing down. Gently pull the extended hand down, keeping the elbow straight until you feel a slight pull and stretch in the back of the wrist. Hold for several seconds before letting go, and repeat about five times. Then, repeat with the other wrist.

Finger Stretches

While the wrist is the source of most hand pain, fingers can also cause pain. This is especially true with the repetitious movement some scissors in your toolkit require, like point cutting with standard hair shears. Using different tools when possible can help exercise your fingers since different tools require different grips, but sometimes your fingers also need a good stretch.

Start by extending your arm in front of you with your elbow straight. Open your hand with the palm facing away from you in a “stop” gesture. Bring up your other hand and take hold of one finger at a time, gently pulling it back toward your body until you feel a stretch. Hold the stretch for about two seconds before moving on to the next finger and repeating with the other hand. When stretching your thumbs, roll the thumb in a circular motion so all parts of the tendon are properly stretched.

The three hand exercises we recommend for hair stylists having pain are the inner wrist massage, the outer wrist stretch, and finger stretches. These exercises, along with the use of ergonomic tools, can help alleviate the pain most hair stylists experience during a long day of work. Take the time to perform them and keep your hands in great working shape.