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RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
(For Happy Hands👋)
Trying to give your hands some respite can be difficult, particularly if your affected hand is your dominant hand. Using a splint when appropriate and completing some hand specific exercises can be a great way of settling your symptoms down.
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Take a look below to check out some of your options!
Strong Hands With Various Bands!
Finger Resistance Bands
That's right you can get resistance bands specifically to build finger and hand strength. You might be able to get away with an elastic band but if you find they keep snapping or breaking then these are a far more robust option.
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This pack of six bands come with 3 different progressive levels of resistance (6.6 lbs, 8.8lbs & 11lbs). Designed to work on your finger and wrist extensors these would be great for an arthritic thumb, wrist and a repetitive strain type injury.
Grip Strength Rings
You've strengthened your wrist extensors, now strengthen your finger and wrist flexors.
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Once again these resistance rings, come in 3 progressive levels (30, 40 &b 50lbs), and come in teal, black & orange. You can use them between your fingers and palm, index finger and thumb and all of your fingers and thumb. Start off with the easiest first and once you gain in strength you can progress as able.
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Not just used for painful hands but also helpful for rock climbers and musicians too!
Therapy Putty
This Therapy Putty is designed to give your hands and all round work out!
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You can grip it, pull it, squeeze it, roll it & pinch it, all really important functional activities that you need to be able to complete with your hands every single day. This stuff comes with 5 different resistance putty's, ranging from very soft (for those really sore hands) to firm (for those with minimal symptoms).
Splints & Supports
Thumb Spica
This thumb splint is fitted with a metal bar inside the fabric that sits along the border of thumb to prevent thumb movement, whilst still giving you use of your fingers and hand. It is not something I would recommend wearing all of the time, but it could help when completing aggravating activities, such as, house work, gardening, lifting and carrying. You certainly don't need to wear it at rest.
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It is most commonly used for thumb arthritis and De Quervian's Tenosynovitis.
Wrist Splint
This splint has a metal bar fitted in to the plantar aspect of the wrist/lower forearm and it's main aim is to keep your wrist still, fixed in one neutral position. Once again, certainly not something you want to rely on all of the time as you want to try and balance using it with exercise and movement as well. The aim would be to use it if and when you feel you could aggravate your symptoms.
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It is most commonly used for wrist arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, repetitive strain injuries and could also be helpful post fracture too.
Oval-8 Finger Splints
These little things can be really helpful to immobilise specific joints of an affected finger. You can wear them on either your distal interphalangeal joints or your proximal interphalangeal joints with the idea of trying to reduce the amount of flexion and extension at the affected joint whilst having full use of the rest of your hand.
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They are commonly used for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, mallet fingers, trigger fingers and could help with tendon injuries.