Therapy putty: choosing the right resistance for your hands
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- Soft starter putty (tan or yellow grade). Best for: Arthritic hands, older adults, or anyone cleared to start after an injury. See options on Amazon
- Medium putty (red or green grade). Best for: General hand strengthening for most adults. See options on Amazon
- Multi-resistance putty set. Best for: Progressing over weeks, or using different grades for fingers and thumb. See options on Amazon
- Firm putty (blue or black grade). Best for: Strong hands, climbers, musicians or manual workers. See options on Amazon
What therapy putty is for
NHS Lanarkshire's hand therapy team describes putty exercises as a way to add graded resistive exercise to your programme, and says your therapist will provide the most suitable strength of putty for your post-injury or post-surgery plan. Because you can squeeze, pinch, spread and roll it, one lump of putty can work grip, pinch, finger spreading and thumb strength.
University Hospitals Sussex lists putty among the simple tools in its strengthening programme for hand osteoarthritis, alongside a sponge ball and a sponge. For step-by-step putty exercises, see our therapy putty exercises guide.
Resistance colors and how to pick yours
Fabrication Enterprises lists its CanDo putty levels as tan, yellow, red, green, blue and black, from easiest to most difficult. Other brands use their own color scales, so check the label rather than assuming red means the same thing everywhere.
| Grade (CanDo order) | Often suits |
|---|---|
| Tan or yellow (softest) | Early recovery once cleared by a therapist, sore arthritic hands, older adults starting out |
| Red or green (middle) | General hand strengthening once the softer grades feel easy |
| Blue or black (firmest) | Strong hands, manual workers, climbers or musicians building endurance |
If a grade causes discomfort, stop and ask about a softer one, as the maker advises stopping when discomfort occurs. The maker notes that adding repetitions makes a routine harder, so you can progress within one grade before moving up.
Who should wait or ask first
Fabrication Enterprises says therapy routines should be set by a doctor, therapist, coach or trainer, and lists these situations where putty should not be used:
- Open or draining wounds and stitches
- Acute fractures and unstable joints
It adds that you should stop and consult a health professional if unusual swelling, skin discoloration or discomfort occurs. United Lincolnshire Hospitals says not to use it on damaged or broken skin. University Hospitals Sussex says not to do hand strengthening when joints are actively inflamed, meaning red, hot, swollen and painful. NHS Lanarkshire says its putty exercises are for people who have been assessed by an occupational therapist, so after surgery or injury, wait for the go-ahead.
Care, storage and mess
- Clean hands first and store the putty in a sealed container or bag. St George's Hospital suggests keeping it in the fridge between uses; Fabrication Enterprises says to store it tightly sealed.
- Warm it up. United Lincolnshire Hospitals suggests kneading it in your hands before use.
- Work on a hard surface. NHS Lanarkshire says to use a table or tray and keep putty away from rugs, fabric, hair and fur. St George's notes it sticks to clothing and sofas and is hard to remove.
- Keep it away from heat. United Lincolnshire Hospitals warns against excessive heat or open flames.
- It is for external use only. United Lincolnshire Hospitals says to seek professional help if it is swallowed and to keep it away from the eyes, nose and ears.
Putty or another hand tool?
Putty is the most adjustable option because the shape changes with every exercise. A squeeze ball is less messy but works mainly whole-hand grip. Spring grippers suit people chasing raw grip strength, not early rehab; see our grip trainer guide. For a wider look at tools, see hand exerciser.
What to look for when you buy
Soft starter putty (tan or yellow grade)
Best for: Arthritic hands, older adults, or anyone cleared to start after an injury
The softest grades on the CanDo scale let you practice the movements with little load, which fits the graded approach NHS hand therapists describe.
Watch out: Can feel too easy quickly if your hands are strong; you may outgrow it.
See options on AmazonMedium putty (red or green grade)
Best for: General hand strengthening for most adults
A middle grade gives enough resistance for grip, pinch and finger exercises without overloading small joints.
Watch out: Color scales differ by brand; check the label for the stated level.
See options on AmazonMulti-resistance putty set
Best for: Progressing over weeks, or using different grades for fingers and thumb
Fabrication Enterprises sells putty in six graded levels, and a set lets you step up a grade once the current one is easy.
Watch out: You may not use the firmest grades; a smaller set can be enough.
See options on AmazonFirm putty (blue or black grade)
Best for: Strong hands, climbers, musicians or manual workers
The firmest grades on the CanDo scale give real resistance for people whose hands are already strong.
Watch out: Too firm for sore joints or early recovery.
See options on AmazonQuestions people ask
- What do the colors of therapy putty mean?
- They stand for resistance. In CanDo putty the order from easiest to hardest is tan, yellow, red, green, blue, black. Other brands may differ, so check the label.
- Which therapy putty should I start with?
- Usually a soft or medium grade. NHS Lanarkshire says your therapist will provide the most suitable strength for your recovery plan.
- Should therapy putty be kept in the fridge?
- St George's Hospital suggests storing it in a container in the fridge between uses. At minimum, keep it sealed, as the maker advises.
- Is therapy putty good for arthritis?
- University Hospitals Sussex includes putty in its strengthening exercises for hand osteoarthritis, but says not to do them when joints are red, hot, swollen and painful.
- How do I get therapy putty out of clothes?
- Prevention is easier: NHS Lanarkshire says to use putty on a table or tray and keep it away from fabric, rugs, hair and fur.
Sources
- Exercise Putty (CanDo variable strength putty exercise sheet) (cdn.shopify.com), Fabrication Enterprises (maker)
- Theraputty Exercises (nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk), NHS Lanarkshire
- Therapeutic Putty Exercises (stgeorges.nhs.uk), St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Therapeutic Putty Exercises (website.ulh.nhs.uk), United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Strengthening exercises if you have osteoarthritis of the hand (uhsussex.nhs.uk), University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust