Tools, devices help arthritis patients get on with tasks

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Tools, devices help arthritis patients get on with tasks

Pain doesn't have to cramp style

www.ajc.com/health/content/health/stories/2008/07/07/arthritis_devices.html

By REBECCA RAKOCZY For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on:

07/09/08

Bielstein knows that arthritis can make simple things, such as opening

a jar or pruning a rose, a painful experience.

Diagnosed at age 29 with rheumatoid arthritis 10 years ago, the Dacula mom

of three was racked with pain and fatigue for almost a year before doctors

diagnosed her condition. But she wasn't about to give up on the things she

loved to do. On medication to prevent joint damage, she has learned to look

for tools that help her adapt to her daily tasks.

" I look for everyday little things that can make life easier, " she said.

To help her continue gardening, she has sought a bench with wheels; pruning

shears and trowels that have big handles with soft grips; and soft-sided

buckets that are easier to carry. In the kitchen, she uses lightweight pans,

lever-style bottle and jar openers; and soft-handled utensils for cooking.

" I invested in a signature stamp at work because I sign a lot of checks, "

she said. When she does write, she uses a large- barreled pen with a cushion

grip.

Braces help reduce the stiffness and pain in her wrists and shore up her

knees.

She can't afford to be sedentary, even with the stiffness, she said. She

owns a business and keeps up with her three active sons.

" I have always been an extremely active person. I've been on the go since I

was young, " Bielstein said. Active in the Arthritis Foundation, Georgia

chapter, she walked in the inaugural Gwinnett Arthritis Walk in May.

" Arthritis can just be so devastating - daily activities like getting a jar

open can be painful. I want to get out and enjoy life, " Bielstein said.

Dr. , chief of rheumatology at Piedmont Hospital, estimates that

1.7 million Georgians - about one in five - have some arthritic illness,

causing their joints to become inflamed and painful. Of that 1.7 million,

9,200 are children with juvenile arthritis, according to the Arthritis

Foundation, Georgia chapter.

Many of 's patients are women like Bielstein. " Rheumatoid arthritis is

a disease of young women of child-bearing years - one of the biggest

misconceptions is it is a disease of older people, " said.

People with arthritis often have to learn to use their body power in a

different way to tackle projects and hobbies, he said. Avid walkers can

switch to bikes; golfers with hand arthritis can use clubs with a bigger

grip.

These days, ergonomic tools for everyday tasks are more readily available

for people sidelined with injuries or those whose physical conditions, such

as arthritis, limit mobility, said Debi Hinerfeld, president of the Georgia

Occupational Therapy Association. (Occupational therapists help people

become as independent as possible after an injury, disease, developmental

delay or social/emotional crisis, she said.)

Hinerfeld remembers when adaptive tools were available only through her

professional catalogs.

" When I started doing this, anything you bought [to aid patients] was out of

a therapy catalog, " she said. " Now you can buy these practically anywhere,

even Wal-Mart. "

Hinerfeld said, " The best tools for any job include those that allow a

person to perform the work easily; being able to conserve energy, prevent

injury and to do whatever that person wants to do in his or her life to live

life to the fullest degree possible. "

THINK ABOUT COMFORT, SIMPLICITY

Be selective. Think about the tasks that are difficult for you on a regular

basis and look for products that can make them easier.

Select products with texture. For example, when selecting glassware,

drinking glasses with bumpy exteriors are easier to grasp than glasses with

smooth exteriors.

Seek lightweight products that require minimal upkeep and are safe to use.

Avoid products that are difficult to grasp or require twisting with your

fingers to open and close. Instead, look for flip-top caps, zippers and

larger, easy-to-open lids.

Look for items that are comfortable to wear, carry or operate. Products that

can be carried close to your body may alleviate pressure on arms, hands and

back.

Avoid the bells and whistles. Look for products that are simple and

practical, rather than fancy gadgets with intricate pieces.

Look for the Arthritis Foundation's blue and white Ease-of-Use commendation

logo. The Atlanta-based Arthritis Foundation sponsors a research lab at

Georgia Tech where these products are tested by an independent panel of

health professionals and people with arthritis.

Source: Arthritis Foundation

LOOK FOR WELL-DESIGNED EQUIPMENT

Anyone can look for tools to make their everyday lives easier, occupational

therapist Debi Hinerfeld notes. Although there is no " adaptive tools " aisle

in stores, look for specific designs in everything from cooking utensils to

gardening tools. They include:

Those with built-up handles to allow someone with a poor grasp to have a

better grip;

Tools that have extended reach and possibly an adjustable angle at the

bottom to prevent back injury from having to bend down too far and to

prevent twisting of the back.

Tools that are made of lightweight materials that conserve energy and allow

users to get the job done without too many rest breaks.