Protecting our joints is for everyone!
Read our blog...
Well, I know this is coming on the heels of Occupational Therapy Month, which POST graciously allows me to celebrate loud and proud, but guess what?! It is Hand Therapy Week all week from June 1st to the 7th.
My first order of business is to thank P.O.S.T. for their unwavering support of all things OT and particularly Hand Therapy. I'd like to thank our fabulous support staff, in particular Christina, Cindy, Nataly & Melissa who keep us running, keep us scheduled, and keep the whole clinic on track - always! Thank you, Ladies! Without you we'd be in BIG trouble! The second thing I need to do is acknowledge my amazing professional colleagues. There are a few, and they are all amazing, so I will keep it brief. If you need any of their services, I will be the first to recommend them: Mitch - our fearless leader and fabulous PT Justin & Lucie - more amazing PTs Lizanne - our awesome pelvic floor guru, also a PT Scott - our genius chiropractor Frank - the wizard of acupuncture Karen - the exercise Queen, and long time PTA Mara - relaxation goddess, and massage therapist Finally, I want to acknowledge our wonderful Wellness instructors - please take advantage of their skill and expertise in yoga, meditation, dance, and general wellness classes.
0 Comments
Our finger joints are the tiniest joints in our whole bodies. That means they are potentially the most vulnerable as well. Something I see in my clients all the time, that I regularly advise them to change, is how they open jars. Opening jars is an all out war against finger joints - an exercise in joint-shearing and tearing. Opening jars is NOT one of those activities that is high on most peoples' to-do lists. So why do we insist on opening jars the "he-man"/grunt and groan way? "I like to make sure I can still do it" is the most common answer I get. My response is..."you never should have done it that way in the first place".
So, you may be asking..."how AM I supposed to open a jar"? With the right tool, or sometimes a couple of tools for the job. First, you need to break the seal. There are many ways to do this. I like to turn the jar upside down and tap the corner of the lid on a padded counter (folded towel on countertop). Once I hear that tell-tale Phssfft!!! I know I have broken the seal. The next tool is up to you, but try to take advantage of larger joints, long bones, and leverage. A couple of suggestions: choose a V-tooth opener that mounts under your cupboards. Out of sight, no clutter, but definitely handy. Or choose a rubber handled strap-wrench. Yup, you heard me right! Just like the strap-wrench in the garage for removing oil filters, but smaller and easier to store in a utility drawer in the kitchen. There you have it! Check out our Equipment Store link on the "Right Tool for the Job" page to see these top choices :) |
|