Before starting, try these: A.)Soak hand in warm water to loosen fingers and wrist before starting.
B.)A good physical therapist will show you the method to massage the swelling areas to lessen the fluid build up. This procedure is most helpful before doing fine motor skills.
While the stroke survivor is sitting at a table have items that require the use of fine motor skills. There may be frustration on the part of the stroke survivor initially, encouragement here is very important. Here are some suggestions: 1.)Simple jig saw puzzles. 2.)Lego’s 3.)Practice writing or drawing 4.)A coffee can with a lot of alligator type clothes pins. Have the stroke survivor dump the clothes pins on a table and clip them to the lip of the can. 5.)Take a dish towel while sitting at the kitchen table and have someone or yourself flatten it out on the table in front of you, a few inches from the edge. Have the person put the heal of their palm on the edge of the towel closest to the edge of the table. Then have the survivor walk the towel under his palm with his fingers. I hated this, it is hard to do at first but it works. Do not give up until you can walk the whole towel under your palm. Remember it is better to try than cry. Don’t give up, don’t ever give up. You may be surprised. 6.)Make pretend you are playing piano at the kitchen table moving your fingers in an alternating up and down motion. Singing is allowed and encouraged. 7.)Practice pointing your fingers one at a time. Just be careful when and who you do the bad one to. 8.)It took me three years to be able to snap my fingers but I can do it now as well as play a real piano (never got the singing done well) and paint pictures. 9.)Trying to draw is good exercise for your fingers. 10.)Writing your name over and over till you can. 11.)Practice pointing with alternating fingers till you can. 12.)Take a Louvre door and place it upside down and walk your fingers up and down it as far as you can and for as long as you can. 13.)Help dusting and waxing furniture where you can. 14.)If your finger grasp is real bad, try squeezing the bulb on a bicycle horn. 15.)Open and close doors with your hand turning the knob. 16.)Practice on twist off lids on plastic jars 17.)Fingerpaint. 18.)Practice typing on a computer. 19.)Get a large nut and bolt from your local hardware store and practice putting the bolt on and off. 19.)Do not give up - do not ever give up - you are worth this effort.
