Avoid this mistake when looking for a thumb brace
The (often missing) KEY to managing thumb/wrist pain is developing a really solid toolbox and a plan for WHICH type of support to wear, and WHEN.
A huge mistake I see people make is they buy the dang metal bar brace.
Do you have a metal bar brace? Comment below and let me know 😀
You know, they're usually black with a slab of metal either crossing just your wrist or coming up the side of your thumb?
(the one you bought off amazon in a moment of desperation that ends up across your room every night you wear it - not speaking from experience here at all 🤣)
While I do believe the metal bar brace has its time & place...
...this is not the brace for all activities.
And the biggest mistake I see people make when they're buying this type of brace is they expect that one brace to be a good one to wear for every activity they could possibly need to do.
Let me tell you - as you likely know if you own one of these - the metal bar thumb brace is often a very impractical support to wear for things like cooking, knitting, playing an instrument, basically any activity you need to move your wrist or thumb for.
There are SOOOOOO many other options out there that provide support without completely immobilizing your entire wrist or thumb.
Here are my top 4 suggestions for wrist/thumb supports that are lower profile and way more flexible:
kinesiotape - you can truly customize how much support you get and where you put the tape. This video shows you a thumb wrapping kinesiotape technique!
compressive supports such as silicone thumb supports. These provide compression & support of your wrist and thumb and can help with arthritis or hypermobility! However these don't feel right for everyone, it truly depends on you, your hand, and your tolerance for big feelings of compression.
the push metagrip - while Amazon has a knockoff, I haven't personally tried it so can't quite speak to its design or effectiveness. The Push Metagrip, while on the more expensive side, is truly the gold standard for rigid support of the CMC joint (base of your thumb) yet it still allows thumb motion and contraction of your muscles around your thumb. Perfect for CMC arthritis or hypermobility.
ring splints - there are so many customizable thumb ring splints, and these are low profile and look like jewelry 😍 I have heard good things about Eva Belle Jewelry if you're looking for ring splints you can measure and order yourself.
Here’s another key consideration:
Notice your hand pain patterns throughout your day, week, month.
During which activity do your hands hurt most? Do your hands hurt AFTER certain activities?
Do the base of your thumbs kill you as you knit? Does your wrist ache as you pour yourself a cup of coffee?
Noticing your pain patterns and understanding which activities you need support in will help you determine which thumb support(s) you need to add in, and when!
