Warm them first
Soak the hands in comfortably warm water for a few minutes, then dry them and work a plain oil into the palms and fingers with the thumbs of the other hand. Slow circles over the palm and long strokes along each finger mirror the basics of a hand massage without needing a practitioner.
Pay attention to the web between thumb and finger, where mouse work gathers its ache. Pressure should feel like it is being accepted, not imposed; ease off before it becomes pain.
Rest is part of the treatment
After the oil, sit with the hands open and still for a minute, the way relaxation classes end. Heat, touch, and stillness each do part of the work.
Repeat on busy days rather than saving the routine for perfect ones. Two minutes of honest hand care on a Tuesday outperforms an hour planned for a weekend that never arrives.
Published by the Fiorlume journal.