Theraputty is a type of exercise putty that is used as an occupational therapy intervention to work on many goals including building hand and finger strength. It is made of a stretchy yet firm material (similar to Silly Putty) and comes in different colors that indicate the putty’s level of resistance. Occupational therapists use theraputty with patients of all ages. With adult patients, theraputty is often used with individuals recovering from stroke, nerve injuries (including carpal tunnel syndrome) and fractures, surgeries, arthritis, or other injuries of the hand or wrist. Pediatric occupational therapists use theraputty with children to build hand and finger strength to promote the development of fine motor skills including the development of a strong and functional handwriting grasp and dressing skills (opening and closing buttons, snaps, and other fasteners).
Benefits of Theraputty:
- Improves grip strength
- Finger strengthening
- Hand strengthening
- Helps develop fine motor skills
- Provides tactile sensory input
- Emotional regulation (coping) tool
Theraputty Exercises and Activities:
Exercises:
1. Scissor Spread: Spread the middle and ring finger apart with theraputty wrapped around.
2. Thumb Press: Place a ball of theraputty in the palm and use the thumb to push it towards the pinky.
3. Thumb Extension: Wrap the theraputty around the thumb, holding the rest of the putty in the palm, and straighten the thumb.
4. Thumb Pinch Strengthening: Make a fist and squeeze the theraputty between the thumb and the index finger.
5. Thumb Adduction: With the fingers and thumb straight, squeeze the theraputty between the thumb and index finger.
6. Three Jaw Chuck Pinch: Pinch the theraputty with both hands using the thumb, index, and middle fingers and pull the theraputty apart.
7. Finger Hook: Lay the hand flat on the table with the palm facing up, place the putty at the top of the palm and press the fingers into the theraputty.
8. Full Grip: Place theraputty in the palm and squeeze theraputty making a fist.
9. Finger Pinch: Pinch a ball of theraputty between the thumb and each finger separately.
10. Finger Extension: Bend one finger towards palm, wrap the theraputty around the finger and try to straighten the finger.
11. Finger scissor: Place a 1-inch ball of theraputty between two fingers and squeeze it.
12. Finger spread: Place a flat piece of theraputty over fingertips and try to spread fingers apart while stretching the theraputty.
Theraputty Activities for Children:
To make using theraputty more fun for children, here are some activities and games using theraputty.
- Make a pancake: Roll the theraputty into a ball with both hands. Flatten the ball to make a pancake.
- Make a sausage: After making a pancake, roll the edge of the flattened theraputty on the table using both hands to form a cylindrical sausage shape.
- Make a doughnut: Connect the ends of the cylindrical shaped theraputty by pinching it together. To work on hand strengthening, place fingers inside the doughnut and stretch the fingers apart.
- Make your name (or other words): Roll the theraputty into a ball. Pinch off small pieces of theraputty from ball and roll into small pea-sized balls. Roll pea-sized balls into long cylinders and use the cylinders to form letters.
- Make shapes: Form shapes using the theraputty and have the child try to copy the shapes.
- Theraputty treasure hunt: Hide small items (coins, beads, etc.) in theraputty and try to find the items by pulling and pinching the theraputty.
- Theraputty word search: Hide letter beads in theraputty and try to find the beads by pulling and pinching the theraputty. Use the letter beads you find to spell as many words as you can.
- Make spaghetti and meatballs: Pull theraputty apart to make stringy pieces of spaghetti. Pinch small pieces of theraputty off a separate piece of theraputty and roll pieces into balls to make meatballs.
- Make a caterpillar: Form 4-5 balls of theraputty and place in a row. Pinch 2 tiny pieces of theraputty off main piece of theraputty and roll into small balls to make the caterpillar’s eyes. Place eyes on first ball in the row. Pinch 2 small pieces of theraputty off main piece and roll into cylinder shapes to make the caterpillar’s antennae. Stick antennae to the top of the first ball in the row.
- Make cookies: Flatten theraputty using a rolling pin or hands. Use cookie cutters to make different shaped theraputty cookies.
- Make a log: Roll the theraputty into a cylindrical shape. To work on scissor skills, hold the log with one hand and cut using the other hand. To work on utensil skills, cut the theraputty with a child safe knife (either holding the theraputty with the other hand or using a fork to hold the theraputty while cutting).
- Guessing game: Use your imagination to create something with theraputty. Your partner tries to guess what you made.
