A Movement Movement (Hand Edition)

I’m starting a movement around …movement. Unless someone already started it, and in that case, I’ll join and promote their movement movement. It might already be called “ergonomics.” I’m starting with focusing on my hands (and then my feet and then my back and posture).

Our opposable thumbs and sophisticated hands make us human. At least I think that’s one of the top things on the list. Countless articles and Podcasts talk about mobility and dexterity. Peter Attia says …

“…not enough can be said about the importance of grip strength as you age. It’s one of the strongest physical associations with longer life.”

Read what he says and watch a grip strength exercise here. Strong, capable hands, as you age, can help you in a slip and fall situation. In this book, Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity, Attia spends a great deal of time on hand health. Don’t believe me? Here’s an article he wrote, and a Podcast all about grip strength and its impact on our longevity.

Hand health comes down to four or five things:

• Exercise and stretch the hand, fingers, and wrist daily
• Avoid extreme twisting of the forearm and wrist
• Avoid repetitive movements over long periods of time
  • This is my addition and though my Dad warned me when I was younger to vary my movements and grip strength I didn’t listen, and I definitely have a bit of carpel tunnel because my hand goes numb when I’m mowing the lawn and pushing the mower
• Loosen your grip in almost every situation
• Focus on form
  • An example would be holding a coffee mug, carrying a duffle bag, or holding and typing on our phones …hold a coffee mug with two hands …you’ll see right away how the tiny handle on a coffee mug is an unnatural movement. Try and hold a coffee mug with just the two or three fingers using only one hand and go walk for ten minutes …you probably can’t do it …because it’s not a natural hand position or movement

Here are the steps I’m taking:

• Lift more things with two hands (like my coffee mug or tea kettle)
• Hold my pens/pencils with a loose grip
• Loosen my grip on everything
• Daily hand Yoga and exercises
• Sit in my chair with proper posture and feet on the floor
• Limited use of my computer mouse (use arrow keys instead)
  • Eventually purchase DXT’s Ergonomic Mouse
• Intentionally focus on my resting-hand-position
• Ice and heat in the short-term for some thumb pain and a jammed finger

. . . and the #1 thing I’m doing (and we call can do) is . . .

• Focus on form while using my iPhone!!!

I will hold the iPhone with my with one hand and will avoid thumb-typing. Instead, I’ll use the Slide-to-Type feature, or voice-to-text. This also goes with my mission to be on my phone way, way less. I will limit holding my phone to my ear when talking on the phone and instead use wired or wireless headsets or earpods, or will set the phone down on a surface and use the Speaker feature.

The image below is the ideal resting hand position and how we should TRY and do most hand-related things. Try and keep your hand in this position, with a loose grip, during as many activities as possible. No, this does not introduce atrophy at all if you’re doing the controlled exercises and stretches and actively working to strengthen your grip strength.

This “movement movement” is inspired by my upcoming 51st birthday and by the hand-pain that resulted from a weekend outside mowing, pulling weeds, digging in the dirt, raking, hedge trimming, splitting logs, and another half-dozen chores. By Sunday evening, my hands were hurting badly. When I woke up Monday, my hands felt like they were injured. I merely used my hands to do things hands are meant to do. Nothing extreme. And I know in my heart it’s because I’m not taking care of my hands.

You know my mantra here on the Blog …do the little things right. This is a very little thing, but will have big, long-term impact on my quality of life.

Now gimme a high-five …but an ergonomic high-five.

THE MOUSE I WANT (added to my Stuff I Want Page)