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TrainersEye · Wrist, Hand & Thumb Health
Wrist, Hand & Thumb M
Trainer's Eye
Phase 3 · Thumb and fingers · Session M

Forty per cent
of your hand
is the thumb.

Phase 3 opens on the thumb base and the muscle beside the index finger — the centrepiece of thumb arthritis care.

  • Msession
  • P3Thumb
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

The thumb is most of the hand

The thumb contributes roughly forty per cent of hand function. Lose it and the other four fingers cannot make up the difference.

Thumb-base arthritis is common

Osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb affects a large share of adults over fifty, women more than men, and it responds well to exercise and a splint.

The muscle beside the index finger

Strengthening the first dorsal interosseous helps stabilise the thumb-base joint and is the centrepiece of thumb osteoarthritis programmes.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · hands that hold on

A

Stabilise

Thumb base isometric + index push
A1

Thumb base isometric

60 s · slow reps

Thumb pressed gently into the side of the index finger; press and release, joint not collapsing.

Easier gentler press  ·  Harder hold five seconds

R1R2—
A2

First dorsal interosseous push

15 reps · ×2

Index finger pushes sideways against the other hand, thumb relaxed — the key thumb-base drill.

Easier gentler press  ·  Harder hold three seconds

R1R2
B

Band

Thumb abduction + thumb extension
B1

Thumb abduction with a band

60 s · slow reps

Band round thumb and index; move the thumb away from the palm against it and return.

Easier no band  ·  Harder thicker band

R1R2—
B2

Thumb extension with a band

15 reps · ×2

Band round the thumb; straighten it out sideways against resistance and return slowly.

Easier no band  ·  Harder thicker band

R1R2
C

Pinch

Opposition ladder + pinch strengthening
C1

Opposition ladder

60 s · slow reps

Thumb to index, middle, ring, little, then back down — count complete ladders.

Easier fewer fingers  ·  Harder eyes closed

R1R2—
C2

Pinch strengthening

15 reps · ×2

Pinch putty, a clothes peg or a folded towel between thumb and index and release.

Easier softer resistance  ·  Harder firmer resistance

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. The thumb is forty per cent of hand function. It gets its own phase.
  2. Thumb-base arthritis loves the muscle beside the index finger — that one is trained every session here.
  3. Pinch is trained in a stable position: the thumb pad presses, the joint does not collapse.
  4. Dexterity is a skill. Practise it slowly and accurately before practising it fast.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Thumb base isometricslow reps in 60 s —
A2First dorsal interosseous push15 reps
B1Thumb abduction with a bandslow reps in 60 s —
B2Thumb extension with a band15 reps
C1Opposition ladderslow reps in 60 s —
C2Pinch strengthening15 reps
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-WRISTHAND-M