Be Kind to Your Hands

• Treating your joints with care may allow them to remain arthritic free so it's a good idea to follow these recommendations if you don't have arthritis. It's also good to heed the Mayo Clinic's advice if you already have arthritis and want to avoid future flare-ups. The secret is to avoid unnecessary joint strain, which can lead to arthritis or cause a flare-up in your hands or elsewhere in your body.
  
  

Massage

• Exercise your hands and fingers. This will help keep them flexible. Splay your fingers apart, bend them forward at the knuckle joint and then release them. Do this several times. Be gentle and don't go too fast. Massage the tops of your hands and the palms. Pull your fingers back toward you as far as is comfortable. You can pull them all at once or one at a time. Using the cushion between your thumb and forefinger on the right hand, rub it in between the fingers on the other hand. In yoga, this is called "valley massage." Stroke the top of your hand, using your other hand, sliding your hand all of the way up to your forearm. This is called "rub the deer's head" in yoga.
  
  

Move Correctly

• When you are using your hands, do not employ positions that push your fingers toward the little finger. Your finger motions should move toward the thumb whenever possible and not in the direction of the little finger.
  
  

What to Avoid

• Do not pinch items between your fingers and thumb. For example, hold a coffee mug in the palm of your hand rather than clasping the handle with your fingers. Try to avoid making a fist. If you have to, due to the work you are doing, don't maintain this position for long periods of time. If you maintain the same position for an extended period, this will make your joints stiff and may result in a flare-up. If you are doing handiwork or writing, take a break every 15 minutes or so to give your hands a rest.
  
  

Favor the Large Joints

• If you have to carry objects, carry them with your palm open. The Mayo Clinic advises favoring the large joints, in this manner, and saving the weaker joints for when they have to be used. Slide objects along a countertop rather than lifting them. Put a loop on your cabinet doors so you can pull the doors open via this method, using your wrist and forearms, which helps reduce the stress on your fingers.
  
  

Keep Warm

• Keep your hands warm. Cold weather can aggravate arthritis.