When we lose our balance, the body’s response is to use palms, fingers and wrists to break the fall. Our wrists and fingers have complex joints with lots of nerves, bones and muscles. And we use them for many activities such as driving, cooking, playing musical instruments, typing, writing and drawing, and even hard-core work that includes lifting, pulling and pushing heavy objects.

Yet, apart from the usual hand cream and occasional manicure, how often do we remember to take better care of our wrists?

As we work incessantly and move from one task to another without a break, our wrists and fingers are at risk of becoming weak, stiff and damaged.

Injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are becoming more common though not sufficiently prioritised. Ensuring that our wrists and fingers stay fit and supple is important, and the only way to do this is by dedicating some time to make sure they get their due exercise.

Practising simple finger and wrist workouts is easy because it doesn’t cost anything, and is effortless. It’s important to keep exercises consistent; and it’s equally important not to exert ourselves and end up stressing our fingers and wrists. Wrist exercises ensure smooth functionality rather than building or toning.

If we ’re always busy, we should give our wrists and fingers a good shake at least as we transition from one task to another. We need to handle our wrists with care and diligently practise wrist exercises.