Splinty kind of woman

March 5, 2019 12:19 PM

I am going to be wearing splints on both wrists for probably a couple of months, to see if it will help with some issues I'm having (potentially carpal tunnel, potentially something else). Do you have experience, tips, advice to share about adjusting to this?

I have been referred to a specialist to investigate further, but this is going to happen while I wait. I'll be wearing them both at work and for sleep, probably not in between. TIA!

posted by wellred to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

I love wrist braces. Love. When I'm working in typing-heavy jobs I use a couple different kinds.

Sleep is the most important. For sleep I like to wear full wrist braces more or less like this. Mine has two straps, not three. The important part is that they're designed for right and left hands with a rigid frame below the wrist to the middle of the palm, that holds everything at a great angle during the night.

For working, obviously you can't use anything that heavy duty, but a simpler splint that supports from below the wrist is helpful. I sometimes have to tape my pinky finger to my ring finger, which interferes with typing but is sometimes necessary.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:30 PM on March 5, 2019

Tighten them to where you think they should be then release 10% or more of the tension. For me and most people I’ve talked to about it, your initial instinct will likely be too tight.

Also work on wrist stretches every day you wear braces. Your physician should have specific exercises for your needs, but any general regimen is better than nothting. I like the ones that use a hammer, ymmv.
posted by SaltySalticid at 12:44 PM on March 5, 2019

As you adjust to them, you'll want to take them off every couple hours during work; air out your skin, do some stretches as SaltySalticid mentioned.

Wash them carefully but regularly. And watch where the hook part of the velcro is, especially if you're wearing easily-snagged clothing.

fwiw I tried a couple different brands/types and got best results with Wellgate's PerfectFit for Women; I find it pretty comfortable, lightweight, and breathable. ymmv
posted by specialagentwebb at 12:55 PM on March 5, 2019

I found that the velcro was scratchy against my skin in a few areas, so I cut down a really soft sock and wore that in between my skin and the brace, especially overnight when I was asleep. What fingersandtoes said is absolutely right about sleeping. I found that I needed to wear the daytime brace very little as long as I religiously wore my nighttime brace. I sleep twisted up, I guess!
posted by clone boulevard at 1:12 PM on March 5, 2019

I was having wrist pain, then I took up pushups. This is because pushups are a weight bearing exercise, and they help your body set calcium, into your bones there. Do your pushups on a soft surface, carpet. Twenty on your knees with flat palms, twenty on your fists, twenty with your palms way out to the side. You will be amazed at the difference.
posted by Oyéah at 6:39 PM on March 5, 2019

Thanks for the great responses. I start wearing them tonight. We’ll see what happens!
posted by wellred at 4:36 AM on March 6, 2019

Follow up - or I might make this its own question at some point - do any of you find that you get incredibly WARM while wearing the splints, particularly during the day (I haven't been awakened by it or anything at night)?
posted by wellred at 2:32 PM on March 24, 2019