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