We use our hands virtually every minute of the day. Most of the things you do, from driving to work, picking up groceries, typing on your phone or computer, cooking, eating, etc. The use of our hands is required. 

For this reason, hands are highly susceptible to injuries and other conditions. If you suffer from pain, immobility, stiffness, and so on, regular hand exercises can alleviate some discomfort. If your hands are perfectly fine, exercising them can help prevent future problems. 

If you are new to this, here are five suggestions of hand exercises you should do. 

1. Finger Bends

This is a good exercise for people with arthritis in fingers. 

Start with your fingers stretched out. Then fold in one finger upwards and hold for a few seconds before releasing and doing the same with the next one. Do this with all your fingers on both hands. 

2. Make a Fist

This is a simple exercise you can perform anywhere and whenever your hands feel tired or stiff. 

To do this, hold your fingers out before rolling them back into a fist. 

Open your hand and repeat. You can do this ten times on each hand. 

3. Grab a Squeeze Ball

Squeeze balls are small enough to bring you everywhere, which makes them extremely convenient. This is an exercise you can carry out in traffic, in a meeting, when watching TV and so on. 

Grab a softball and squeeze it in. hold this position for 10-25 seconds before gently easing off and repeating. Do this several times over the week with rest days in between. 

4. Finger Lift

To carry out this exercise, place one of your hands on a table or other flat surface. Have your hand palm down and flat on the surface. Begin from one end and lift one finger upwards, going as far as you can, before holding the position for a couple of seconds before going back to the resting position. 

Do this with each finger on both hands. 

5. Wrist and Finger Stretching

Hold out one hand in front of your body with your wrist bent and fingers facing upwards. 

Use your other hand to gently pull the upwards-facing fingers back towards your body until you feel a stretch. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then release and repeat the motion with the other hand. 

You can then hold your arm in the same position, with the fingers facing downwards, and then use the other hand to pull them further inwards towards your body, hold and release. 

The best thing about these exercises is that they do not require any specialized equipment. All you need to do is master a few and remember to perform them consistently.