Think ahead. Choose repertoire that suits the student's natural hand span. Check for any awkward stretches before assigning a new piece. Expect a student with small hands to take extra time to learn a piece with stretches.
Avoid injury. Pianists with small- to medium-sized hands are more likely to experience injury. Teachers have a duty of care to protect students' hands as best they can. Encourage students to take frequent breaks during their practice and to inform you if they feel any tension or pain. A hypermobile (double-jointed) student may be able to open the hand wider than is typical for their hand size. Discourage stretching – medical advice is that this can be damaging in the long term.
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