If you text, type, tap your phone or play video games often you may be setting yourself up for an overuse injury. If you are doing a specific motion repeatedly you might develop soreness, pain and inflammation as tension builds and muscles are strained. But you can ward off injury by stopping and stretching your fingers, wrists and arms periodically throughout the day.

-Interlace your fingers and turn your palm away from you body. Stretch your arms out in front of you and feel your shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers stretch as you straighten your arms. Hold for 30 seconds and then relax and repeat 3 to 5 times.

-Repeat the steps above and with your palms turned away and raise your arms up until your hands are over your head. You’ll feel a stretch in your upper back and shoulders on down to your hands. Hold for 15 – 30 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.

-Extend one arm in front until the elbow is straight. Take your other hand and press on the back of your hand with the palm facing down until your fingers point to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Next change the hold onto the palm side then push your hand up and back so fingers point to the ceiling. Hold for 30 seconds. You’ll feel this in your forearm and the top and bottom of the wrist. Repeat both stretches 3 times then switch to your other arm and repeat the directions.

-Spread your thumbs and fingers out as far from each other as you can. Hold for 30 sec and repeat 3 to 5 times. You’ll feel this in the muscles of your fingers and thumbs.

Do these at least twice a day, especially if your typing or texting all day. If you feel any pain while stretching back off a bit and see if that helps. If not, stop doing that stretch. Give yourself a break and let your hands rest while you take a walk, or do something else so you don’t end up with an overuse injury in the fingers and thumbs.