Hands and wrists

stickywicket

Sometimes it's necessary to state the blinding obvious and, just in case there's anyone else out there as slow to learn as I am......

About three weeks ago my right wrist and hand started hurting out of the blue. Very much out of the blue. The wrist fused itself years ago and, although the fingers would be the envy of any of MacBeth's witches, they don't hurt much any more.

Then we went away for a week and it all stopped. Then we came back and it started again. Only then, finally, did I twig that the new keyboard, installed just before it all kicked off :idea: might be the culprit. I've now swapped back and all is well.

The new one was prettier and much cleaner :oops: than this one. It lacked toast crumbs, dust and much more. But the keys had a little more resistance and seemed fractionally deeper. And that's all it took.

I guess it's the old arthritic refrain: little changes make big differences - either way.

bubbadog

I find typing for long periods & using a mouse without stopping for small breaks sets off pain in my wrists and fingers. I try and stop for 5-10mins when I notice a small twinge in my wrists or fingers it does seem to help me. You won't find out if you don't try new things if it will improve or make things worse I agree, so you have to try!!

dreamdaisy

You've found the culprit so woo-hoo to you! I'm sur the old keyboard feels like the return of an old friend - cherish its stickiness, stains and crumbs in the appropriate manner. DD

barbara12

Oh SW....the key board makes my hands and wrist worse that is why I don't come on very often good for you spotting the culprit..

Boomer13

It's always amazing to me how small changes can have such big impact. I can type on my computer at home for short periods but my old work computer sends me off in excruciating pain every time.

Glad you figured it out quick. I often like to torture myself for long periods looking for a 'big' cause for my big pain. Often as not, it's some small thing I've done or changed.

Maybe it's just mm difference in force within your knuckles, but the impact seems to be large.

And toast crumbs aren't so bad after all .

19smp59

I used to make jewellery and I found that threading beads made the pain in my thumb joints unbearable. Once I'd threaded just a few the pain would start. I tried to take up crochet a few months ago but that was awful for my thumb joints as well, but knitting although it hurts, isn't as bad at all. Strange how different things can cause pain.

charleeh

It always takes me a while to figure out what I have done different... I got my flat keyboard off my Favourite internet auction site ages ago - I couldn't be without it.
I find the laptop easier to use.
I have wrist supports made out of hard plastic that bends in hot water - I forget the name of it now. But if I have to use the PC for a bit I generally put those on.

My hands / wrists have been bending now for the last 12 months; I have had arthritis for 5 years - and am 22, 23 soon.... just wondering how long was it before you started visual abnormalities in your hands sticky?

My bones are fusing too I do still have slight movement but they are fusing. I cant use them to get up or put them palm down on a table or anything if you know what I mean... can't do yoga balances or weight train any more either LOL.... nor pick up a 2 litre bottle of water

best wishes,
Chareeh

stickywicket

charleeh wrote:

My hands / wrists have been bending now for the last 12 months; I have had arthritis for 5 years - and am 22, 23 soon.... just wondering how long was it before you started visual abnormalities in your hands sticky?
Chareeh

Sorry, charleeh. I should have made it clear that my deformities are a result of over 50 years of RA. There were no DMARDS on offer for many years. It's very unlikely that you'd end up in a similar boat.

charleeh

Hi Sticky,

my wrists have already fused, I am on a biological drug Tocilizumab now already, but progress on it is slow due to my cell levels being too low so I am only having a half dose to prevent any more infections....

I was just wondering how quickly did your disease progress really, I mean I have had mine for 5 years and all was ok until the last 12 months and then my wrist bones started fusing and bending outwards so I can't put my hands in a bowl shape (like when you splash water on your face) or bend my wrists like when you put your hands on a flat surface to push yourself up.

Having been on MTX for 5 years which is a 'disease modifying drug' I think and biological drugs for the last 10 months I wondered how soon after having arthritis did your hands start to bend? .... I thought it took a while you see but in me it seems to have progressed pretty quickly?

Best wishes
Charleeh

LignumVitae

In my experience of quite a lot of typing with different keyboards depending on location, none are to be trusted until they are fully stained and crumb filled. They also offer less resistance once a brew has been poured over them as part of a christening ritual. On a more serious note, I'm still most attached to the one I wrote my PhD with nearly ten years ago, it's been with me wherever I've worked and new contenders have never offered the same level of comfort. I'll probably have to retire when it does, or at least wrote shorter reports.

stickywicket

LignumVitae wrote:

In my experience of quite a lot of typing with different keyboards depending on location, none are to be trusted until they are fully stained and crumb filled.

There you have the advantage over me as you have your own two - or should it be three, counting Mr LV? - expert crumb and stain distributers

salamander

I can't use a mouse any longer as the pain in my thumb is agony if I do so I now use a trackpad - integrated into my lap top. So much better and easier as is my smartphone. Keyboard on said laptop is best I've ever used.

I love the way you can use technology to make things easier but just wish my mother, who had very severe OA, had been able to make use of it.

stickywicket

You're right about the wonders of technology helping the likes of us. The choices too are a help in themselves. I find a trackpad difficult because I have to use the back of my fingers and don't have a lot of control. I'm fine with a mouse, though