Splints and exercise

[Guest guest]

I will take this time to try to answer several questions, since I am so

far behind in reading my digests.

By splints, I mean the kind that are sold for wrist support.

Amazon.com has them listed as " wrist splints " . I just visited their

site, and there are several kinds. My husband likes the ones that have

velcro. I can always tell when he's ready to get out of bed, because I

hear that " rrrrriiiipppp----rrrrriiiipppp " sound when he takes them off.

Now, to exercises. I have found that working with an exercise

therapist is a great help, because she helps me stretch the muscles

that I need to use. But, there are lots of examples on the web, too.

For example, I was very stiff when riding in a car for an hour or so,

so I do these types of exercises:

Side lunge: standing with legs at hip width, reach down and to the

side, as if reaching for a traffic cone placed outside your ankle.

Alternate ankles, bending knees slightly. This feels really awkward,

but has made a big difference in comfort. Repeat.

another stretch is: sit on a bench, holding a weight in one hand. Hold

it up with a straight arm, then bend and move it to touch your opposite

foot. Repeat.

I have a whole series of stretches that she designed for me. They take

about 20 minutes, and I don't need any fancy machines, just some

weights, and a few simples things like a small ball and a weighted rod.

I once even did this simple routine in the waiting room at the hospital

at midnight when I was waiting for my husband in the ER. I used waste

baskets and my purse as weights.

Any stretching exercises will increase your muscle strength, and make

you feel a lot better.

Mo, let me know what you try.

Stephany in Iowa