| Each hand has 14 finger joints, and each
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| | activity that puts stress on the joints.
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| of these acts like a small hinge. Because
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| | Since everyone's activities are a bit
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| the joints are small, they are operated
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| | different, you will have to invent some
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| by muscles in the forearm that control
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| | of these new ways yourself. Here are a
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| the joints by an intricate system of
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| | few tips to get you going:
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| small slings for the tendon leaders. The
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| | A big handle can be gripped with less
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| small size and complicated arrangements
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| | strain than a small handle, so wrapping
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| mean that any inflammation or damage to
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| | pens, knives, and other similar objects
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| the joint is likely to result in some
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| | with tape or putting a sponge rubber
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| stiffness and lost motion, as even a
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| | handle over the original handle can help
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| small scar or adhesion will limit motion.
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| | you grip items. Lift smaller loads. Make
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| So you shouldn't expect that a problem
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| | more trips. Plan ahead rather than
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| with a small finger joint will resolve
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| | blundering through an activity. Let
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| completely. Even after healing is
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| | others open the car door for you. Use a
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| complete, some leftover stiffness and
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| | gripper for opening tough jar lids or
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| occasional twinges of discomfort are
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| | stop buying products that come in
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| likely. Unrealistically high expectations
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| | hard-to-open jars. When opening a tough
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| lead to feelings that you did something
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| | lid, apply friction pressure on the top
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| wrong or that the doctor was no good. In
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| | of the lid with your palm and twist with
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| fact, almost all of us have a few fingers
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| | your whole hand, not your grip. Cultivate
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| that have been injured and remain a bit
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| | ingenious friends who are handy at making
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| crooked or stiff. The hand functions very
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| | little gadgets to help you. Organize your
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| well with these minor deformities;
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| | kitchen, workshop, study, and bedroom so
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| fingers need not open fully or close
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| | that heavy objects are not too high or
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| completely to be perfectly functional.
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| | too low.
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| Osteoarthritis frequently causes knobby
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| | Stretch the joints gently twice a day to
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| swelling of the most distant (end) joints
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| | maintain motion. Straighten the hand out
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| of the fingers and also swelling of the
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| | against the tabletop. Make a fist and
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| middle joints. It can also cause problems
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| | then cock the wrist to increase the
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| at the base of the thumb. If we live long
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| | stretch. Use one hand to move each finger
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| enough, all of us get these knobby
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| | of the other hand from full flexion to
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| swellings. They cause most of the changed
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| | straight out. Don't force, but stretch
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| appearance that we associate with the
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| | just to the edge of discomfort. If the
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| aging hand. For the most part, they cause
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| | motion of a joint is normal, one
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| relatively little pain or stiffness and
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| | repetition is enough, but if the motion
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| don't need specific treatment other than
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| | is limited, do up to ten repetitions.
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| exercise.
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| | Warming the hands in warm water before
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| Listen to the pain message and avoid
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| | stretching may help you get more motion.
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| activities that cause or aggravate pain.
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| | Don't use strong pain medicines; they
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| Rest the finger joints so that they can
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| | mask the pain so that you may overdo an
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| heal, but use gentle stretching exercises
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| | activity or an exercise. Be sure that you
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| to keep them limber and maintain motion.
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| | take prescribed medication for
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| The key to managing finger problems is to
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| | inflammation just as instructed. Good
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| use common sense.
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| | hand function is important, and you want
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| With a bit of ingenuity you can find a
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| | to pay close attention to treatment.
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| less stressful way to do almost any
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