The Best Exercise Therapy Putty

Crown Therapy Putty

Get a Grip

This putty's premium materials and varying resistance make it a top choice for therapy offices and office workers alike.

Best Overall

Find on Amazon

Increasing your dexterity and finger strength is effortless and fun with Crown Therapy’s Putty. Hand workouts are essential for leisure activities and occupational tasks alike, whether you’re in the field or in front of a computer. If wrist strain has plagued your past or typing-centric work dominates your daily duties, tension can build up over time. Crown Therapy works through these issues by providing four options for reducing stiffness and building muscle mass. This nifty physical therapy aide is also a useful stress reliever to keep anxious hands busy. Regardless of your reasoning, this putty can make a significant difference in your health without the need for complex workout routines or equipment.

Pros:

• Made in the USA
• Free of skin irritants like latex
• The four levels of firmness are color-coded

Cons:

• It can stain fabric easily

CanDo TheraPutty

Give Your Hands a Hand

If you want some extra material for both hands and feet, this therapy putty can give you the resistance you need when you need it.

Best for Big Hands

Find on Amazon

Finding the right putty texture for your strength level can be a drawn-out process of purchases and returns when little variety is available. CanDo’s TheraPutty avoids that issue with their robust product offering and numerous sizes to match your specific needs. This brand’s bulk options make the TheraPutty attractive for physical therapy offices, special education purposes, and everyday use with quantities varied from 2 oz to 50 lbs. The chemical composition of CanDo’s concoction is a major selling point for us, too. If the hazard of young children or domestic animals is ever-present, you can rest easy with the toxin-free formula that won’t elevate minor accidents to emergency room visits.

Pros:

• Nine density levels to choose from
• Available as a multi-pack or individual variations
• Ideal for golfers, tennis players, and baseball teams

Cons:

• The packaging is easy to open but also quite loose

Fun and Function Discovery Putty

Grab Your Attention

This putty can keep kids enthralled for hours on end with its gooey consistency and hidden prizes.

Best for Kids

Find on Amazon

When it’s time to get down to the business of the day, distracting the kids can be a monumental task when you need peace and quiet. The Discovery Putty by Fun and Function is one of our go-to analog toys that kids can’t get enough of and we can’t stop praising. Unlike traditional exercise putties, Fun and Function’s version veers closer to the “slime” side of the goo scale in that it’s a bit more sticky and shiny than the competition. The dime-sized toy pieces hidden within come in numerous themes, ensuring that there’s a putty for everybody. For parents looking to improve their kid’s writing strength and focus, this putty takes the cake.

Pros:

• Countless themes such as school, geography, animals, and planets
• Four resistance levels in multi- or single-packs

Cons:

• It’s difficult to completely cover all of the hidden pieces with the included putty

Special Supplies Therapy Putty

Resistance for Every Wrist

When you're building up muscle after a long hiatus, this putty can support you no matter where you are in your recovery.

Best Variety

Find on Amazon

Special Supplies Therapy Putty is a highly versatile product offering that can capture a child’s imagination and provide adult workouts all in one package. Each putty pack includes a generous three-ounce glob that’s ideal for restless little ones or larger hands.  This therapy putty is offered in orange, yellow, red, green, blue, and purple, allowing the whole family to improve grip strength at their own pace. Don’t let the sliding scale fool you, though — aside from orange and yellow, your average pre-teen is going to have some difficulty molding the majority of these putties. But if you want to commit to a thorough wrist workout regimen, Special Supplies will deliver the goods.

Pros:

• Long-lasting color that won’t bleed or fade
• Fantastic value for the price of the set
• It comes with a screw-on storage container for all six putties

Cons:

• They pick up microparticles and dirt easily

MindWare Putty Scents Set

Stimulate Your Senses

This putty makes stress relief seamless with serene stretching and fresh fragrances for every season.

Best Scent

Find on Amazon

If you want to spice up your office space for the holiday or theme your exercise equipment with the change of seasons, check out MindWare’s Putty Scents Set. MindWare’s priority is providing an aesthetically pleasing putty, and they don’t disappoint. Each pack is slightly more translucent than strictly functional putty and feature three unforgettable aromas. If the weather outside is frightful and your freezing fingers need something to do, find your inner balance with the calming scents of blueberry and cocoa. For those that prefer the sun and sand, aromatic kiwi and banana are probably more your speed. MindWare promises to keep your hands engaged and senses satisfied whenever anxiety rears its ugly head, no matter your preference.

Pros:

• Wide variety of scents that stay pungent after use
• The solid metal tins preserve putty moisture much better than plastic
• Hypoallergenic formula is non-toxic and gluten-free

Cons:

• This putty set has only one resistance level

Frequently Asked Questions

What physical injuries can therapy putty help prevent?

Therapy putty is used for building muscle in the hands, fingers, and wrist. While these devices are most useful in recovering from upper-body injuries such as bone fractures or tendon surgery, more muscle mass is rarely a bad thing when it comes to protecting delicate joints. Aside from making tears and breaks less likely, regular therapy putty use can reduce the chance of having carpal tunnel syndrome. Regular stretching may reduce pressure on the median nerve, which can get inflamed and cause numbness and weakness.

Are there any specific exercise routines for therapy putty?

There are several workout methods for exercise putty that can hone a diverse array of muscle groups. As far as hand exercises are concerned, you have to distribute your workouts between adduction (pulling together) and abduction (stretching apart). Popular adduction exercises include pinching the putty with different fingers or squeezing it between two. Abduction primarily involves wrapping the putty into a donut shape and expanding it with two fingers at a time.