Supporting your hand on a table, place the thumb tip and the index finger together, as shown, making a wide circle. The tip of your thumb should remain flexed at all times. Gently pinch keeping a good position, use pain as your guide as to how hard you preform the action.

Hold for 5 – 10 seconds, repeat 10 times.

With your little finger and wrist supported on a table with your fingers straight. Lift your index finger up and away from the other fingers and aim to hold for 5 seconds. If this is easy progress to adding resistance using a light elastic band as shown below.

Repeat 12 – 15 times, repeat 3 sets.

With your little finger and wrist supported on a table with your fingers straight. Bring your thumb out to the side, away from your fingers and hold for 5 seconds, then bring the thumb back in.

Repeat 15 times, with 3 sets.

Place the palm of your affected hand against your chest. With your other hand, wrap the fingers around the length of the thumb base as shown. Use the fingers of the unaffected hand to gently ‘roll ‘ the painful thumb away from the chest.

Hold for 20 – 30 seconds, repeat 3 – 5 times.

Bring your thumb tip over towards your little finger tip. If this is easily manged, try to slide the thumb tip down to the base of the little finger for a gentle stretch.

Hold for 20 – 30 seconds, repeat 3 – 5 times.

Grasp the painful thumb with the other hand, behind your back. Relax both arms and hands. Let the weight of the arms gentle provide traction to the joint at the base of the thumb. This can be done at the front if more comfortable.

Hold for 10 -15 seconds, when the joint is painful, repeat 3 – 5 times

Self-massage to release the tightness or tension to the muscles in the web space between the index finger and thumb. This can be helpful to alleviate pain.

Massage for 5 minutes. If possible try to stretch the thumb away from the index finger at the same time.