Your healthcare provider may recommend exercises to help you heal. Talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about which exercises will best help you and how to do them correctly and safely.

You may do these exercises right away.

• Finger passive range of motion: Gently bend the injured finger with your other hand. Then gently try to straighten out the injured finger with help from your other hand. Repeat slowly, holding for 5 seconds at the end of each motion. Do this 10 times. Do these exercises 3 to 5 times a day.
• Fist making: Make your hand into a fist. If the injured finger will not bend into the fist, try to help it with your other hand. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
• Object pick-up: Practice picking up small objects, such as coins, marbles, pins, or buttons, with your thumb and injured finger.
• Finger extension: With your palm flat on a table and your fingers straight out, lift each finger straight up one at a time. Hold each finger up for 5 seconds and then put it down. Continue until you have done all 5 fingers. Repeat 10 times.
• Grip strengthening: Squeeze a soft rubber ball and hold the squeeze for 5 seconds. Do 2 sets of 15.