Start with understanding
Opening a jar, carrying a bag, or holding a tool involves more than squeezing harder. Fingers, thumbs, wrists, tendons, and nerves all contribute.
Pain while gripping describes an activity that hurts; it does not name the problem. Joint pain, tendon problems, and nerve symptoms can overlap in daily life.
MOVE starts by understanding what the task asks of your hand. A useful plan connects assessment to the grip you need at home, work, or in training.
Video coming soon
Explore the written guide and illustrated lessons below.
Connect understanding to daily life
Find the details that matter
Describe the object, its size, the way you hold it, and where symptoms appear. Does a pinch hurt differently from carrying something with the whole hand? Does a finger catch, or do you notice numbness? Tell the clinician what you have stopped doing. These distinctions help turn “my grip hurts” into a clear account of the limitation.
Consider the handle as well as the hand
Tool design can change the force and positioning needed to complete a task. NIOSH’s hand-tool guidance aims to reduce forceful exertion, repetition, and awkward positioning. Ask whether an easier handle, mechanical aid, or different method could help. A workplace adjustment should fit the task and safety rules rather than creating a new hazard.
Strength is not the only question
Repeatedly squeezing a ball is not an automatic answer to every painful grip. If a joint, tendon, or nerve problem is present, the starting point and progression may differ. Ask what is being assessed and which activities are appropriate while you recover. The goal is useful function, not a stronger squeeze that repeatedly aggravates the same problem.
Get assessed when daily life changes
Pain that keeps returning, finger catching, reduced sensation, or increasing difficulty handling objects warrants assessment. The base of the thumb is one possible source of pinch and grasp pain, but its location alone does not confirm arthritis. A hand therapist or other qualified clinician can help connect diagnosis, task changes, and any rehabilitation plan.
Educational information complements individual guidance. Your health history, goals, and examination determine appropriate care.
Build your understanding
Five ideas to build your understanding. Swipe, use the arrows, or focus the slides and use your keyboard.
Should I keep strengthening through grip pain?
Do not assume pain means a need for more repetitions. Ask a clinician which tasks and exercises fit the assessed problem.
Does a weak grip mean nerve damage?
No. Pain, joint and tendon problems, nerve conditions, and other factors can affect grip. Examination helps distinguish them.
What the evidence means for you
Thumb joint problems can affect grasping
The Hand Society describes pinch and grasp pain among symptoms of thumb arthritis and outlines assessment and individualized treatment.
Put it to use: Mention exactly where the hand hurts and which daily grips are affected.
Keep in mind: This is one possible cause, not a diagnosis for every painful grip.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand →Tools can reduce unnecessary demands
NIOSH’s hand-tool guide focuses on selecting tools that need less force, repetition, and awkward positioning.
Put it to use: Review a frequently used handle or task with occupational support.
Keep in mind: Tool changes do not replace assessment of persistent pain or neurological symptoms.
CDC / NIOSH →