Motor Skills Exercises

2 minute read

By Shawn Hayes

Motor skills can be broken down into two different areas: gross and fine motor skills. An example of fine motor skills is hand to eye coordination. Picking up small objects with your hands is a fine motor skill. Examples of gross motor skills would be balancing on your feet when walking and walking itself. When these motor skills are corrupted due to fatigue or deterioration, there are exercises to strengthen them back.

Timing Is Important

Timing exercises are important when developing or strengthening motor skills. Time yourself when folding clothes or matching objects with their appropriate colors or sizes. There are timing games all around you at all times, and you just need to find them. The key is to make it physical and not just mental. For example, time yourself putting pegs in and out of a pegboard. If you are trying to strengthen one particular motor skill, like a broken hand, use slight resistance to regain proper muscle and nerve activity. Squeeze a stress ball, which is often made from rubber or foam.

Start Small

When total loss of motor skills has occurred, you will need the help of someone else to properly regain the strength and muscle awareness in the affected area. Start with small exercises. For instance, if your hand is the affected area, start with one finger at a time. Stretch each finger out, like a fan, to make sure you have proper blood flow. For someone lacking complete motor skills, twitching a finger is an amazing accomplishment and should be treated accordingly. Acquiring the proper range of motion is key, so make sure you rotate the affected area with either the help of someone else or by using your unaffected arm or hand.

Take It Slow

You will not see improvements after only one day of exercises. Take it slow and do not rush progress just for the sake of progress. By pushing yourself a little more each day, you will regain the proper motor skills necessary to live a fulfilling life.

Contributor

Shawn is a dedicated health and wellness writer, bringing a wealth of experience in nutritional coaching and holistic living. He is passionate about empowering readers to make informed choices about their physical and mental well-being. Outside of writing, Shawn enjoys hiking, mountain biking, and exploring new recipes to share with friends and family.