Before You Exercise Your Stroke Hand — Do This First
A 2-minute self-test which tells you exactly which 15-minute routine to follow — and why getting this wrong wastes your recovery time.
Hey fam! 👋
If your hand is weak after stroke — this one is for you.
This week I dropped a new video: a 15-minute stroke hand exercise routine that works for two very different groups of people — those with a very weak hand, and those who already have some movement coming back.
Before any exercises, you do a quick 2-minute self-test to find out which group you belong to. Because doing the wrong exercises is not just unhelpful — it wastes the precious time and energy you’re putting into your recovery.
Here’s what to do (3 steps)
Step 1 — Do the self-test first
Rest your forearm on a table with your palm facing down. Try your hardest to lift any single finger. Watch your hand closely.
Nothing moves at all → you are Group A
You see a small flicker or twitch but nothing lifts → you are Group A
A finger actually lifts off the table → do one more test to confirm Group B
Takes less than 2 minutes. Do this before touching any exercise.
Step 2 — Follow your group’s exercises only
Group A (very weak hand):
Passive finger movements — bend and straighten each finger gently using your stronger hand
Sensory stimulation + movement attempt — brush the hand with a towel, then immediately try to move
Weight-bearing through an open hand — lean gently through the arm to fight the spasticity pattern
Group B (some movement returning):
Active finger flexion — bend and straighten fingers using your own muscle
Towel squeeze and release — grip and fully open the hand (the release is just as important)
Wrist extension — bend the wrist upward with assistance, working toward doing it independently
Step 3 — Watch the full video
I walk you through every exercise step by step, including the self-test. Watch it here:
Your free PDF guides
If you haven’t grabbed these yet — they’re yours, no cost:
3 Day Stroke Recovery Jumpstart
Understanding Arm and Hand Recovery After Stroke
👉 basicallyphysio.substack.com/p/your-free-pdf-guides-are-one-step
Want to go deeper? 🔒
This week’s paid newsletter goes into the full science behind why these exercises work — including why attempting to move even when nothing happens is one of the most powerful things you can do at MMT 0.
I also break down exactly what MMT staging means in plain language, and what the evidence actually says about sensory stimulation, grip training, and wrist extension for stroke recovery.
Upgrade to paid to read the full deep-dive.
Keep going. Every rep counts. 🙏
With kindness,
Suresh (BP)