3-Point Products' Healthcare Blog

Top 10 Adaptive Products To Help With Arthritis - Part 1

Q. Can “knick knacks” really make my arthritic hands feel better?

A. Yes and no. Knick knacks or more formally, adaptive devices or equipment, reduce pain if they decrease the amount of force you use when opening jars, hold a pen or comb your hair. Equipment will not cure your arthritis but can help lessen the progression and make doing daily activities less painful and less stressful on an affected joint.

Q. Which equipment works the best for people with arthritis?

A. As a practicing occupational therapist I spent a good deal of time choosing the most appropriate equipment for my patients and showing them how to use it. In general, the equipment I liked the best was usually the simplest and often things you already have in your home.

The more “stuff” you have, the less you will tend to use so I like to keep it simple and to a minimum. There are some great products available that really make a difference when your hands are weak or in pain. I have a top 10 list of products that make living with arthritis easier. The top 5 are shown below. The next 5 will be in a future blog. So here goes my list of the TOP 5 adaptive products for arthritis:

1. Self-opening loop scissors

                                         
         (image of  Loop Scissors courtesy of Sammons Preston, a division of Patterson Medical, Inc.)

With looped scissors you do not need to try fitting sore or enlarged fingers in two small handle holes. The self-opening scissors require about 1/2 the amount of strength to open than do regular scissors. Mine stay in my kitchen utensil organizer so they are readily at hand. They won’t cut a chicken but they are great at cutting coupons, any paper, tape or string.

2. A damp towel

                               

                            (image of terry cloth towels courtesy of North Coast Medical, Inc.)

Everybody has a towel and most every kitchen or bathroom has a damp towel. Placing bowls or cups on a damp towel keeps them from moving when you are using two hands to stir a bowl or pour from a pot. A damp towel helps you grip a jar to open it or to pour from. A damp towel is a good resting spot for a warm cookie sheet when you are trying to remove stuck cookies. A damp towel makes clean up easy so you don’t have to scrunch up a sponge or paper towel. And a damp towel will dry quickly or go into the washing machine and come out ready to use again.

3. Slip resistant Dycem® strips or mats

                   

(image of Dycem Pressure-Sensitive Strips courtesy of Sammons Preston, a division of Patterson Medical, Inc.)

Dycem® is a non-slip material that comes in sheets to be used as non-slip mats and it comes in self-adhesive strips to wrap around utensils or handles. The added friction provided by Dycem material ensures that you use less strength to hold or manipulate something. For instance, you can wrap a strip around a round doorknob to make it easier to open or around your favorite mixing spoon to make it easier to hold. Wrap a strip of Dycem onto a cane or walker handle for better security or around the refrigerator or oven door to make it easier to open. Dycem should be washed or rinsed regularly for it to maintain its non-slip surface.

4. Narrow pliers
          

                                    
(image of Economy Needle-Nose Pliers/Wire Cutters courtesy of Sammons Preston, a division of Patterson Medical, Inc.)

Needle nose pliers are useful in a variety of locations. Use them to pull the cotton out of those small annoying medicine bottles. Use them to hold one end of a bracelet or necklace while you fasten it. Needle nose pliers make holding most small items less stressful on your hands.

5. A quality pen

While some people like to recommend built up pens or pencils, my advice is to buy a good pen with quality ink that flows easily and needs minimal pressure to write clearly. A built up pen that writes poorly is harder to hold and write with than a thinner, better quality pen. If you tend to lose pens, use a sticky label to add your name to make it easier to identify and remember. Always keep the pen in one place and always return it to that place when you are done. You do not need to spend a fortune on a pen but a 15 cent office store pen will never be worth the 15 cents you spent when your thumb is too sore to write with it.

As for the next 5 items on my top-10 list of products that can make living with arthritis easier, look for the next blog.

Do you use products that help make your life with arthritis easier? Share them in the comments below to help others.

Author: Julie Belkin

Osteo Arthritis (OA) & Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A Brief Description

The word arthritis comes from the root word for joint “arthro” and “itis” meaning inflammation, combining to mean joint inflammation. Arthritis is a complex disorder that comprises more than 100 distinct conditions and can affect people at any age. Two of the most common forms are Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

What is the Difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?

OA and RA have different causes and effects on the body, yet they often share a common symptom – persistent joint pain. The joint pain of arthritis can appear as knee or hip pain, hand pain, as well as joint pain in other areas of the body. Symptoms including stiffness and/or swelling in a joint for more than 2 weeks may indicate you have arthritis.

OA is caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartilage that covers and cushions the joints. Primary OA is related to aging – the simple wear and tear we all experience over time. OA can affect multiple joints including the hands, feet, spine and large weight bearing joints. Primary OA also may have a hereditary or genetic component – it your mother and father both have OA; there is an increased likelihood you will develop it also.

OA that is caused by a specific injury or condition is called Secondary OA. A previous injury to a joint, severe obesity or diabetes can be contributing factors to developing arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a distinctly different disease. RA is an autoimmune disease that causes ongoing inflammation of the joints. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly “attacks” the body’s tissues believing there is something wrong with them. RA not only affects the joints, it can also inflame the tissues around the joints as well as other organs in the body. For this reason, RA is called a systemic disease meaning it can affect multiple body systems.

Joint damage from RA can be much more extensive than just cartilage damage. In some cases, the cartilage, bone and ligaments can be destroyed leaving severely deformed joints. RA most commonly affects the hands and feet first. As the disease progresses, the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and even jaw and neck can become involved. Unlike OA, the symptoms of RA are more likely to affect the same joints on both sides of the body.

How Do I Know Which One I Have?

The most common symptoms of OA include steady or intermittent pain in a joint, stiffness after periods of inactivity, especially sleeping or sitting, swelling or tenderness in a joint or joints and crunching sounds or sensations when moving a joint.

Symptoms of RA differ from person to person but generally include: Joint tenderness, warmth, and swelling. Both sides of the body are usually affected at the same time. Other symptoms include pain and stiffness in the morning that lasts for more than one hour, fatigue, occasional fever and a general sense of not feeling well.

Your health care provider can help determine what form of arthritis you have an how best to treat it. Remember that there are over 100 forms of arthritis and a proper diagnosis is the key to the right treatment.

Author: Julie Belkin

 

Wrist Pain from TFCC Injuries or Tears

The Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) is a group of ligaments and cartilage on the ulnar (little finger side) of the hand. Cartilage is a firm rubbery tissue that cushions the bones. The TFCC ligaments attach the cartilage to the small wrist bones which also suspend the ends of the two forearm bones, the ulna (on the little finger side of the forearm) and the radius (on the thumb side).

The most common symptoms of a TFCC problem are wrist pain on the little finger side of the wrist with a clicking or popping sound when moving the wrist or rotating the forearm. Wrist pain is generally felt when gripping tightly or when pushing on the hand to raise up from a chair.

TFCC problems can be caused by a fall on an outstretched hand (a "FOOSH") or simply degeneration from overuse and the aging process. Athletes, particularly gymnasts who weight bare on their hands, are prone to TFCC problems.

Treatment for a TFCC problem includes splinting the wrist for a period of time to reduce symptoms followed by a program of range of motion exercises to restore motion and strengthening. Initial splinting for rest includes an immobilizing wrist splint. A splint that is trimmed to allow the fingers to move freely makes it easier to wear without having to remove it for daily activities. Splints with D-ring straps that secure the splint firmly are also recommended.

There are only a few splints designed specifically to address TFCC problems.  The 3pp Carpal Lift supports the ulnar carpal bones to realign the wrist and relieve stress on the TFCC.  A pad cushions the palm of the hand and two straps lift the carpal bones into place. This splint can be worn during activity and is recommended for incomplete tears to allow healing and when surgery is not needed or is delayed. Another splint is called the Wrist Widget and it attempts to relieve the problem by strapping the ends of the forearm bones together to prevent the displacement caused by a TFCC tear.

TFCC problems can be very persistent and rarely go away by themselves. An orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand and wrist problems can diagnose the condition and direct a proper treatment program.

Author: Julie Belkin