Weighted Wristbands

I thought I had posted about these after I got them but must have forgot with everything going on.

I got some Weighted Wristbands made from the Helping Hands company, they make gripping aids for quadriplegics for gym equipment etc and also gripping gloves for children to use on bikes and people with other conditions that cause weakness of grip so that they could do things like holding gardening tools.

Originally these items are not weighted so they had to make these for me specially. They are adapted from their looped exercise aids except they removed the loops and sewed weights into the wristband part.

I use them painting and got some foam off ebay of different sizes that can fit around pens, brushes etc.

Also I use them on Wii as I find my arms are steadier for pointing wii remote at screen.

I also find them helpful for other little jobs around the house if my arms are particularly twitchy and sometimes use them when doing housework and cooking too. It allows me to put more energy into the task itself rather than most of energy been used in concentrating on keeping my arms still enough to chop an onion safely for example.

As they are velcro I can make them looser and fasten them a little higher up my arm which allows me to dip my hands in sink if i need tofor jobs like washing and peeling vegetables, and they still have same effect of steadying my arms. They are less restrictive than splints which I tried before but have to keep removing if need to put hands in water and can also wear them with Thermoskin gloves which keep back of hands warm and reduce pain, whilst still allowing you to feel and use fingers.

I tend to type with my fingers in a flexed stiff position (to use fingers as pointers) which can get quite painful if doing alot of typing at once. Sometimes I use a pencil with rubber end as my 'pointing stick' if hands are painful (hands clenched) which I cant do with splints. I cant use a regular mouse so use a special joystick (see blog 'Me and my Mac's http://www.livingwithataxia.org/profiles/blogs/me-and-my-macs-assistive)

I have found them very useful and would recommend them.

I am also hoping to try a sensory belt (which is like a weighted belt) for better balancing with standing on Wii balance Board as there is another game due out (this xmas i think) which I would really like to try and think it would be particularly good for Ataxia.