You've Got a Brand New Soul and a Cross of Gold: Braces!! :)

Today I went to ACH to OT to get fitted for hand braces. The appointment took over 2 hours and I have to go back on Monday to finish.

The OT measured:

all three joints in each finger 4 ways:

how far I could bend
how far I could straighten them
how far she could manually bend them
how far she could manually straighten them.

how far I could touch my thumb to my palm
how far I could straighten my thumb
how far I could trace my pinky with my thumb
how far I could bend my wrist up
how far I could bend my wrist down
how far I could move my wrist to the left
how far I could move it to the wrist
the strength of each fist
how well I could touch my head with each shoulder
how well I could reach my thumb to the middle of my back
how high I could reach my arm above my head from straight ahead of me
how high I could reach my arm above my head from my side
I think that is it.........

So it was a long and painful appointment to say the least.

I found out some things that I didn't know--- Such as how I have significant loss of ROM in both shoulders by over 40 degrees, my left wrist can barely move as compared to my right which is weird because I thought my right was worse, and my middle fingers are the worst with manual manipulation but my index fingers are the hardest to move on my own.

BUT!!! I got one custom brace made. I go on Monday to have one made for my left wrist and to be fitted for manufactured braces for both hands to see which I prefer.

These braces are to help straighten my fingers gradually and to ease pain. I am to wear them at night and at certain points throughout the day.

I also have ring braces for all fingers that I am supposed to wear when using them.