Find Your Strength
This post is inspired by the comment below:
"I am also beginning to feel the effects of age, as my right hand is beginning to clamp up."
Early on, my RA exposed itself by stiffness in my fingers and hands. I would get up in the morning, my fingers cramped and bent, hardly able to get them to move. Hardheaded as I am (sorry hubby ;-) I refused to give into it and forced my will to move my fingers in spite of the pain. Not a very easy task to do! My rheumatologist gave me a few tips. I would like to pass these on, for they might be of value and give some relief of the pain and frustration that come out of it:-)
She told me to fill the sink with warm water, put my hands in it and slowly try to move my fingers. It seems to loosen the muscles and joints and makes it then easier to get some movement going. This you can practically do anytime and anywhere when needed. She also advised me to get a soft, squeezeable ball, in the seize of a tennisball. Take that in your hand and squeeze it as your strength allows. And for as long as you are able to. It keeps you from loosing all your strength and makes it easier later, when the pain has subsided, to regain your strength.
For me, the first helped as long as I held my hands in the warm water, but half an hour after I took them out, it was devastating. My inflammations in the joints reacted severely and it was worse then when I woke up. So I quit doing that and kept on being hardheaded haha. The ball definitely helped. And I do recommend that. It is my experience that by practicing and doing what I can do, I maintained the strength (and maybe even some function) I have now. But hey...everyone is different and it is worth trying. How else will you know what works for you? Point your mind to it, set your will in place and find your strength to regain your strength!
"I am also beginning to feel the effects of age, as my right hand is beginning to clamp up."
Early on, my RA exposed itself by stiffness in my fingers and hands. I would get up in the morning, my fingers cramped and bent, hardly able to get them to move. Hardheaded as I am (sorry hubby ;-) I refused to give into it and forced my will to move my fingers in spite of the pain. Not a very easy task to do! My rheumatologist gave me a few tips. I would like to pass these on, for they might be of value and give some relief of the pain and frustration that come out of it:-)
She told me to fill the sink with warm water, put my hands in it and slowly try to move my fingers. It seems to loosen the muscles and joints and makes it then easier to get some movement going. This you can practically do anytime and anywhere when needed. She also advised me to get a soft, squeezeable ball, in the seize of a tennisball. Take that in your hand and squeeze it as your strength allows. And for as long as you are able to. It keeps you from loosing all your strength and makes it easier later, when the pain has subsided, to regain your strength.
For me, the first helped as long as I held my hands in the warm water, but half an hour after I took them out, it was devastating. My inflammations in the joints reacted severely and it was worse then when I woke up. So I quit doing that and kept on being hardheaded haha. The ball definitely helped. And I do recommend that. It is my experience that by practicing and doing what I can do, I maintained the strength (and maybe even some function) I have now. But hey...everyone is different and it is worth trying. How else will you know what works for you? Point your mind to it, set your will in place and find your strength to regain your strength!
2 Comments:
Lieve Zus
I'm so happy that you find the ball to be more helpful.
Please take care =)
Audrey,
It was helpful, but the best exercise is still trying to do what you normally would do, only in a slower pace in order not to overdo.
God's Grace.
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