Hi I have RA mostly in my hands however feeling sore in the knees and ankles, I just want to know as my hands are very sore at times,and

[Bernie58]

swollen, what exercise do you all do for your hands, and what gadgets do you use for general turning of taps etc. Its really getting me down to be unable to do routine stuff. Any suggestions anyone ?

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Bernie58. I'm fortunate in that when controlled my hands show little swelling but they are very weak & can't I grip or hold things without fear of dropping them. All my taps have been changed to either ones that turn easily (domestic ones similar to the ones in hospitals) or the lift up ones as I can't manage traditional turning ones. The next thing we need to change is the shower as it has silly little knobs I can't grip & my husband has to turn them on. There are loads of aids available for things like opening bottles & jars but my favourite & cheapest thing is an old rubber glove which has lost it's coating & gone very grippy! It's my turn to thing when nothing else works, failing that my husband lol! There are loads of sites who'll sell you expensive gadgets but I find ebay & Amazon generally sell the same things far cheaper. I have quite a few Oxo Good grips utensils & the storage jars too which are very easy to open & close & are the seal well so things like sugar stay dry. I've load more ideas too numerous to mention but if there's anything in particular you struggle with I'm sure others will have good suggestions.

[cathie in reply to nomoreheels]

Those designed tower taps with a lift up bit look good and are perfect for us

[nomoreheels in reply to cathie]

My h has also replaced all the door knobs too for handle ones since I got stuck in the loo for ages once when he went out!!

[Bernie58 in reply to nomoreheels]

I think i will be changing my taps as my husband always seems to leave the kitchen cold tap screwed so tight, i get so frustrated trying to turn it. thanks for the hints very much appreciated

[nomoreheels in reply to Bernie58]

No probs. I'm still finding useful tips & gadgets as things occur as my hands are so weak at the moment & every little helps.

[farm123]

I use compression gloves when very bad - you may have to try several types to find the right one for you. At the moment I like a grey/black pair from A**zon especially in winter as they just look like fingerless gloves rather than something medical. Occupational Therapy can also provide gloves or custom made resting splints and have other ideas for gadgets that may help. I also have a variety of Oxo Good grip utensils. I had already got a lever mixer tap in the kitchen. Even at times when the condition is under control whenever you are shopping for something new you have to think how you would cope if your joints are swollen and painful. My older, left home, children hate the fact we use beakers rather than glasses as they would not last very long and would be forever clearing glass up.

[nomoreheels in reply to farm123]

We have half a dozen brilliant glasses we got from Ikea. See this ikea.com/gb/en/search/?quer... the Skoja ones, cheap too & haven't dropped one yet!

[farm123 in reply to nomoreheels]

Would be worth a try but we have not got one close enough and with P&P would make them too expensive. Have to remember if we go past one if we go further afield but with my brain will see the sign and not remember what I wanted.

[nomoreheels in reply to farm123]

Ha know the feeling lol!

[Bernie58 in reply to farm123]

Thanks for the tips, can you please advise what are oxo good grip utensils

[nomoreheels in reply to Bernie58]

They're available at most of the national homeware shops like Dunhelm Mill, Homebase & some supermarkets have a range, dependent on size of store & our local Morrisons is where I got our salt & pepper mills Lakeland, Amazon & ebay also sell them. I found the storage cannisters cheapest on Amazon. My very favourite although not strictly a utensil but is invaluable neverless is a measuring jug with a grippy handle. The measurements can be seen from above & means I don't have to lift it, difficult, or bend down to see where the liquid is actually up to, equally difficult. They do all sorts to aid with the preparing of food etc. & all have grippy bits where we'd normally struggle to hold or turn things. The full range is here oxouk.com Some are maybe not as useful & could manage without but others are very helpful & was looking at a some on the chuck out at Morrisons today not that there was anything I wanted as they were mostly winged corkscrews but they were reduced to 2.98, a bargain lol!!

[cathie]

I've stopped locking the door!

[nomoreheels in reply to cathie]

No locks in our house, never had them on any bathroom doors & visitors have to whistle when using the loo lol! Just front & back doors lock. It was the handle which I couldn't grip to turn & after getting stuck in there till it was changed I kept a trusty rubber glove in each in case it happened again lol!

[Beverley-NRAS]

Hi Bernie58,

so sorry to hear about how bad your hands are. We have a very good section on exercises for the hands on our website that you may like to look at. The videos are very good:

nras.org.uk/exercise-videos

There are also some good websites that have aids for everyday living:

betterlifehealthcare.com/

dlf.org.uk/

Hope you find something useful here and that you get some relief from your sore hands, knees and ankles.

[Bernie58 in reply to Beverley-NRAS]

thanks so much for your links really helpful thanks

[trianon]

I've also got taps similar to hospital ones. You can also get a little gadget called a key turner - your key is fitted to it and it makes it easier to open/lock doors, I couldn't manage without mine. An electric, free standing can opener is a good idea - although I find it difficult to actually hold the can to fix it to the magnet! I also have little gadgets for opening jars, bottles. ring pull cans etc - however it can still prove difficult to use them at times. I've also got my own wine glass (oh yes!) - it has a thicker, easier to grasp stem, £1 from - you guessed it- £ shop! There are also lots of other little gadgets available e.g. pen grippers, angled cutlery etc etc. It might be a good idea to try some of these things out first - there seem to be quite a few disability aids shops around - but then look for them online as they'll definitely be cheaper. I've lost count of the amount of gadgets I've bought that are described as suitable for people with arthritis - and they've been no use. I'm not sure if the designers even talk to the people these gadgets are meant to be for!

[nomoreheels in reply to trianon]

An electric can opener was my latest purchase but like you trianon I can't hold the can in place to fix to the magnet to open it. It has a really good wide pressy thingy to work it but my h has to put to the can on for me to use it. So only part independence on this one for me.

[trojan14]

Hi

I now buy shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in pump dispenser bottles- SO much easier.

Also, get one of the lightweight, quick drying towels, much lighter than your standard bath towel.

[Bernie58]

Thank you for your tips, I do have my toiletries in pump containers which I find great, I get my husband to fill them up for me, and will be checking out other ideas you suggest also,