Writing + Weak Hands

nmistry

Hi,

Just a post to get some ideas really.

I suffer from weak thumbs, and am a student to need to write!

Anyone had experience with pens such as:

Link removed im accordance with AC terms and conditions House Rule 5:2
Mod ECM

and have they helped? Have also tried the elastic bands tied to the first two fingers and attached a pen to that !! Gets tiring after a while though!

Thanks.

debbierose

collywobble wrote:

Hi there

Can't help re the pen you've seen on Am*z*n, it looks like the sort of thing that may work once you get used to it.

I found a Bic Pro+ pen, very reasonably priced, nothing fancy, but it has a thick, gripper bit at the bottom, which I find easy to use.

Hope someone else has some good ideas for you!

Luv, Lynn xx

you can get a pen from arthritis care I use mine a lot.
you can rest your hand on it

josiec

Don't know if I'm allowed to name the brand but if you search on net for PenAgain you'll be able to see what I mean - it looks odd but reduces the necessary grip - I use mine all day at work. Lakeland do them too.

mouseymousey

Hello, First thought is have you contacted your uni and asked them to asses you?
Do you have to write? Can you use your pc for notes instead, and use voice recognition? I think its called Dragon something...
If you need to write, do you need pens? I use a pencil 99% of the time as they are so much lighter I find them a lot easier. Also have little rubber thingies that go on the end of the pencil and they help too.

Wonkylegs

HI,

if it is the pressure that you need to put on your thumbs when holding the pens in the 'normal' way then you could try this that I was taught on a course aimed at helping children with
co-ordination problems. I use it when my wrists and thumbs are sore, and I can write for longer than with the 'proper' way.

place the pen/pencil between your forefinger and middle finger & let the pen/pencil rest gently on your thumb just to keep it in place. You can either use your wrist to move your hand over the page, or if your wrist is stiff (or in splints) your whole lower arm can move.

I hope that makes sense ... it's not easy to describe!

another possibility would be to use a dictaphone which has the facility to download onto a computer. My friend's son uses this for his college lectures as he is dyslexic.

nmistry

Thanks all for replies.

I did try the R*ng P*n that I was gettting. Unofrtunately it is too large for my hand so beware when buying. Also, the ink does not flow as easily as a rollerball as it is just a ball point. Can't wait till they do a fountain pen of a similar design.

@Wonkylegs - yes thank you am having to try this new grip. will take some time getting used to but puts less pressure on thumb.

@mouseymousey - have tried contacting uni, have got knee problems as well, but as not fully disabled have been denied parking help.

More an attitude of just got to cope yourself.

@debbierose - where did you find this arthiritiscare pen? could you point me in its direction?

@josiec, @collywobble - thanks for these other suggestions, may try them as well.

Thanks.

c4thyg

Nmistry,

I used to work at a university and there should be an Access Unit where you can be assessed. If you need help then they can apply for money from your LEA on your behalf to help you. I would guess that the easiest thing in your case would be to have a light weight laptop with voice recognition software. I use both and find it much easier than writing. Of course sometimes you will need to sketch a diagram but if that's all you need to do with a pen you should find that you cope a lot better. I know first hand from both the student and lecturer point of view how hard it is to keep up the pace in lectures. I strongly suggest that you contact your Access unit.

Good luck with the studies.

suzster

hi, i to have problems writing, my handwriting looks like dr's scrawl!
my ot actually made me a splint, it's hard to describe, she made it to try as she had never done it before! she used the plastic stuff they use to make normal splints, white plastic they heat and mould.
basically she moulded a piece to curve over they top of my hand and then it went into an almost point with a hole at the end so a normal biro fits in it. then with velcro she made a strap that went round my hand, sorry, that sounds daft, but basically the pen was held in splint in the right position for writing but i didn't have to hold it because it was strapped to my hand. so my fingers never hurt!
i hope some of that makes sense?!!!
sue

c4thyg

Sue, you have a great nurse there. Hold on to her.

joyful164

I bought some special pen/pencil grips from Able Care shop. They were a bit expensive but work a treat. The don't wear out either. I use them on my paint brushes and they help a lot.
Also on pencils and pens.
You should get them on the Net

joy

woodbon

Hi, I've got very sore hands and I find that the big round pens with a rubber grib are easy for me to hold although my hands do still get painful after writting a lot. I had to sign for an order the other day with one of those special plastic things on a computer pad. It was about the size of a knitting needle, and of course, as soon as he gave it to me I dropped it! The ground was wet and covered in leaves and I felt a right twit! Hope you find something that suits you. Have you tried your OT they may have something you can try. Love Sue

sharmaine

Hi
Have you looked at any of the disability aids sites online?

Apparently thumbs are so important to hand co-ordination and it must jolly trying for you with coursework etc. Can your uni provide any support?

Hopefully someone will come up with a great idea for you.

Sharmaine

elnafinn

Bumped up for Tarasmygirl

Elna x

dreamdaisy

Two sugestions, may be wortyh something, may not.

1. Place the pen between the forefinger and middle finger: the forefinger rests on the top, the middle finger lightly grips the right of the pen, the thumb lughtly grips the left of the pen. It's a quill grip, your fingers do not have to bend much, not like the standard grip.

2. Try a Y*r*p*n. Available in Smiths, they come as a pen or pencil. They look very strange, you can only use a standard grip with them, but they are good for left and right handers. The barrel is slightly padded, which helps.

Good luck, all you scribes out there. DD

* = two vowels, both in the word vowel.

tarasmygirl

Thanks Elna & DD

Cath

cthornley

I echo the comments about contacting your uni's access/disability unit.... your needs are assessed differently than for benefits so even partial disability can be helped, they are looking at assessing your ability to do your course and may give your special equipment but also ensure that you can extra time in exams so that you can take breaks or simple things like a dictaphone to tape your lectures....I found writing fast a killer!
They can also point you in the right direction on where to get good equiment like pens, a computer mouse (mine uses my thumb / whole hand rather than my finger to click) etc. In the long run it enabled me to get on and do my course like my classmates without having an extra burden of all of the difficulties of the disease....and it worked I got 3 professional degrees with RA yay
Chrissie

livinglegend

A short piece of pipe insulation foam can be used to make a sleeve over the pen and gives a big, chunky but soft grip which is much easier to hold. This means that you don't have to learn or use a different way of gripping.

It is essential to see your Uni's disability unit as well for extra help. Ask a Technician about the foam as they should have some in their stores.

Joseph 8)

elnafinn

Thread bumped up for Joseph.
Elna x