The Motions of The Hand, Wrist, And Forearm

 

The Motions of The Hand, Wrist, And Forearm

 

 

When holding objects, there are multiple hand, wrist and forearm positions that may impact or limit the amount of grip force you can apply.  To strengthen your grip functionally, you should not only manipulate the thickness/diameter of the objects you grip, but should also incorporate a directional bias of the resistance that you are attempting to overcome.  The following pictures show the various hand, wrist, finger and forearm positions:

Wrist Flexion and Extension with the fingers extended

Wrist Extension, Neutral, and Flexion with fingers flexed in a fist for gripping

Radial Deviation moves the hand towards the thumb using the wrist as the fulcrum; Ulnar Deviation moves the hand towards the pinky at the wrist joint

Supination turns the palm up as if you are trying to fill it with water, pronation turns the palm down and neutral is similar to a handshake

 

 

The above pictures explain the multiple positions that you are able to move your hand, fingers, wrist and forearm.  Your goal is to maximize your hand, wrist, forearm and grip strength in all available positions.  However, it is not advised that you focus grip training in any one particular hand, wrist, forearm position, as this can lead to overuse injuries.  Grip training should focus on maintaining a neutral wrist position, while incorporating a resistance and/or directional forces.  For example, this force may be directed toward radial deviation of your wrist.  With this, it is your job to fight that directional force by firing ulnar deviation muscles in order to maintain the neutral wrist position.  You may also perform a technique that provides a multi-directional force to your hand, wrist and forearm.  This "instability" forces you to frequently readjust your grip, as well as the muscle activation of your hand, wrist and forearm in order to maintain the neutral position (creating wrist joint stability as well as maximum grip strength).  Although on a smaller scale, this is similar to incorporating perturbations to your trunk while maintaining a neutral spine (dynamic core/trunk stabilization). 

 

Once you are able to maintain a stable and neutral hand/grip/wrist position while directional forces are applied, you may further challenge your grip by adding another dimension... thickness/diameter of the object you are attempting to control.  Incorporating Neurogrips will help you to add both thickness/diameter as well as allow you to easily incorporate a directional bias.  The next few blog entries will show examples of training techniques that use Neurogrips while adding a directional bias at the same time.  Neurogrips may be quickly and easily put on or removed between exercises and sets to minimize rest time between exercises.  You do not have to struggle to put them on or take them off the device, because they do not attach to anything except your own hand.  They can be used to add 1-inch diameter to all exercise equipment that can be gripped with your bare hand. 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for some examples of dynamic grip stabilization exercises that will not only focus on grip but also on your wrist, forearm, shoulder and trunk.

 

 For more information on Neurogrips, go to www.neurogrips.com