Kristina1
Senior member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2017
- Messages
- 822
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 03/2017
- Country
- US
- State
- MA
- City
- Grafton
The OT provided me with wrist braces that extend up my forearm yesterday and said that they would help my compensating muscles do their thing more efficiently. I was skeptical. Especially when I drove home with them and didn't notice any ease of gripping the steering wheel.
I have not been able to cut food or chop vegetables for weeks now. Not because I'm too weak, but because the moment I try my muscles cramp up painfully and I have to drop the knife, manually un-cramp them and start over. I never get more then 2-3 seconds in before the cramps so it has made it an activity I just cannot do.
Well this evening my kids were trying to help by chopping the vegetables for me and they were having trouble with the tomatoes. I tried to help and instant cramps as usual. I remembered the braces and thought, what the hell, I'll try it. I only put the one on for the hand that is gripping the knife (my left/dominant hand). And... it worked!!!! I chopped 2 whole tomatoes without a single cramp! It was slow and required effort, but I actually did it!
I have not been able to cut food or chop vegetables for weeks now. Not because I'm too weak, but because the moment I try my muscles cramp up painfully and I have to drop the knife, manually un-cramp them and start over. I never get more then 2-3 seconds in before the cramps so it has made it an activity I just cannot do.
Well this evening my kids were trying to help by chopping the vegetables for me and they were having trouble with the tomatoes. I tried to help and instant cramps as usual. I remembered the braces and thought, what the hell, I'll try it. I only put the one on for the hand that is gripping the knife (my left/dominant hand). And... it worked!!!! I chopped 2 whole tomatoes without a single cramp! It was slow and required effort, but I actually did it!