I answer 3 of your most asked questions
I get a lot of questions from this community that I absolutely love answering.
So let’s jump right in!
You ask:
Hi! Do you have any recommendations for something to help with grip/minimize vibrations of an electric oral b toothbrush?
I answer:
Check out this pack of foam rubber twist ties for 7 bucks, and try wrapping one or two of these bad boys around the handle of your toothbrush.
It will not only widen your handle for a more comfortable grip, but the foam texture can also minimize the discomfort of vibration on your hand.
You ask:
40yo w/RA & EDS. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to make a fist. How do I tell the difference b/t pain to “work through” and when to rest?
I answer:
This combination of both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ehler's Danlos Syndome is more common than you'd think - I have actually met quite a few of you with both!
I won't go into the specifics of these diagnoses, because I'd tell you the same advice for pretty much any diagnosis that is causing chronic hand issues.
There are definitely certain exercises that you can do that are considered 'everyday,' or 'safe' motion exercises. These include our 'active' motion exercises, meaning - no one is stretching or pushing/pulling on fingers, you're simply moving your hand with your muscle strength and nothing else.
Picture: opening and closing your fist. This is considered an 'active' or 'everyday' exercise. I would argue that when you do these slowly and mindfully, and aim to stay within the 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps range, these can be soooo beneficial at not only helping with your flexibility but also decreasing your pain.
Movement done in this way can lubricate your finger joints and help them move easier, and it can also pump out any extra swelling you may have in your hand.
NOW, I would say there IS such a thing as over-doing our 'passive' motion exercises, or our stretching exercises.
So now picture, again, we are trying to make a fist and using our muscles to help our fingers come down and make a fist.
Only this time, we use the strength from our other hand to stretch our fingers/push them into our palm.
This can be beneficial when you're stiff, or when you can't fully make a fist, but I would advise if it's immediately ramping up your pain, or the pain doesn't quit for hours afterwards, then this would be an instance where I wouldn't recommend 'pushing through.'
I am a strong believer that everyone can find exercises that work well for them at whatever stage they're at 💛
You ask:
How do I recover from a finger dislocation? Help it get stronger to not keep happening? Splint or no splint?
I answer:
There are so many things that go into recovery from a finger dislocation.
And side note, a dislocation is more significant than a subluxation, but both can be common in hypermobile humans.
A dislocation is when 2 finger bones fully separate which makes your joint look and feel totally out of place, and a subluxation is like a partial dislocation..
First & foremost, when this happens you need to see your doctor and get a splint made to help the dislocation heal.
From there, it often depends on the type and location of the dislocation as to how long you need to stay in a splint vs. when you can start using your finger again. A good hand therapist can help you with this!
As far as strengthening your finger(s) and supporting them using splints/gadgets during activities...this is exactly what I teach in Hypermobile Hands Blueprint 💗🦓
