NEWSLETTER
Revive and Protect Your Hands
Hand Therapy Will Keep Your Hands Ready To Do The Things You Love!
www.handsforliving.com
NEWSLETTER Proper Ergonomics Can Protect Your Hands and Wrists From Injury by Helen Reilly, OTR/L
INSIDE: • PROPER ERGONOMICS • YOUR HANDS WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU, IF YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR HANDS • HAND EXERCISE
Ergonomics – how people interact with their workspace --getsa lotoffocus inthecorporate environment, but it requires your attention at home, too. People come in different shapes and sizes, so what is safe and efficient foryour co-worker or familymember maybe different foryou. Ignoring those differences can lead to aches and pains, as well as permanent injury. While there are many elements to consider, from overall space to individual movement, themost critical isyour computer set-up. Here arethreestartingpointstoassureyourcomfort and well-being: 1. Height of chair and desk: Take a look at your desk and chair. Is the height of either adjustable?Mostdesksaren’t,sothis isagood starting point to evaluate ifyour work space is fittingyou.Whentyping,youwantyourelbows to be at about 90 degrees and your wrists “neutral”orflat. Ifyoufindyouareanglingyour forearmupordown,changetheheightofyour chair. This adjustment may require adding a foot stool, as you want to keep your knees at about 90 degrees as well. 2. Monitor height: You want the top of it to be just below eye level. If the monitor is too low then you will end up bending your neck a lot and may have a tendency to slump your shoulders.You don’t need to purchase a fancy stand for the monitor; usually a full ream of printer paper will provide the needed lift. 3. Wrist position: Are your wrists bending back toward you? Are the undersides of your wristspressing intoasharpcorner?Doyoufind the keyboard too narrow? There are a variety of ergonomic keyboards on the market – do yourself a favor andvisit a computer store and
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try out several to find the most comfortable setup.Also, lookfora“negativetilt”featureona keyboard,wherethekeyboardcanbeadjusted to tilt toward the monitor and keep you from bendingyour wrists back when typing. Ideally, your wrists will be level and not pressing into the sharp corner of your desk. For more information on reducing eye strain inanofficeenvironment,checkouthighlights froma printout fromWashington State Labor and Industry: http://handsforliving.com/ resources--info.html
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Your HandsWill Take Care of You If You Take Care of Your Hands
You rely on your hands to do so many things that it’s not surprising they would get dry, rough, and sore. Joints and tendons in the hands can also become stiff or injured, making it difficult to perform even basic tasks. There are several ways, however, you can keep your hands in top shape this spring.
Exercises designed by
Assisted Hand
Execution:
Make a fist Use other han
Revive and Protect Your Hands Winter weather can leave your hands dry and chapped. To revive your skin, drench your hands in a quality lotion and then slip them into a pair of cotton gloves before going to bed. You may also want to invest in a hand massage to loosen stiff joints and tendons. Once you’ve got your hands back in shape it’s important to protect them. You’ll want to invest in a good pair of garden gloves ifyou plan onworking outside. Everything frombacteria inthesoiltopoison ivyand insectbitescandamageyourhands. Make sure to start out slowwhen gardening or working in the yard. Joints and tendons in the hand can become damaged if subjected suddenly to too much stress or strain. If you spend a lot of time on your hands and knees working in the yard be sure to change positions frequently. Spending too much time leaning on your hands while in the same position can cause injury. Youmayalsowanttoconsiderwearinggloveswhencompleting chores indoors. Exposure to harsh cleaners may cause your hands to chafe or develop a rash. If you wash your hands often throughout the day, always use a mild soap to prevent dryness. Finally, Make sure to use sunscreen on your hands whenever you’re outside and not wearing gloves. Most of the time your hands will receive as much damage from the sun as your face, making it imperative to use a lotion or sunscreenwith SPF 15 or greater. This will help protect from both wrinkling and age spots.
Professional Treatment Tokeepyourhands lookingandfeelinggreat itmaybenecessary to receive professional hand therapy. A hand therapist can help you prevent injury or restore function so you can effectively participate in your daily activities. If you’re experiencing pain or dysfunction in your fingers or hands on a regular basis you may need to seek out a qualified hand therapist. There are several conditions a therapist can help you with. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - This includes tingling and numbness in the hand, usually caused by a pinched nerve. Trigger Finger - This occurs when your finger gets bent and then often snaps up straight when the hand is extended. Ganglion Cyst - These are noncancerous lumps that can occur on the hand or wrist. Trauma to the Hands - Whether it’s a burn, sprain or fracture, trauma to the hand can limit your ability to function normally. With warmweather quicklyapproaching it’s important to keep your hands soft on the outside and functioning properly on the inside. Onceyou getyour hands in top condition for spring you’ll be able to enjoy the warm weather and all the activities that go with it.
Patient Spotlights
Hand Exercise Helps With Weakness and Pain
Exercises designed by Neil Trickett, Mar 8 2018
Assisted Hand Closing
“Kind, caring, and compa sionate!”
www.simpleset.net
Make a fist. Use your other hand to help close the fist.
Assisted Hand Closing
Execution: “My therapist was amazing, kind, caring and compassionate. She was very knowledgeable about my injury and was supportive and patient during treatment. Keep up what you’re doing! Thank you f r all your help and knowledge during my difficult time of recovery.” Christina B. “Great therapy team” “My therapist was amazing, outstanding and very knowledgeable. She has a great therapy team and scheduling system.” Virginia M. Make a fist Use other hand to help close the fist
Trickett, Mar 8 2018
sing
Make a fist
Use other ha close th
help close the fist
Make a fist
Use other hand to help close the fist Fun & Games SUDOKU
Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls
The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.
INGREDIENTS • 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats • ½ cup of ground flax seed • 1 tablespoon of black chia seeds • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon • ½ cup of raw honey • ½ cup of peanut butter • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder INSTRUCTIONS
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8 1 6 3
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7 5 3
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5 9
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1. Add rolled oats, ground flax seed, chia seeds, cinnamon, honey, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and vanilla protein powder to food processor. 2. Pulse until ingredients are blended (about 7-9 times). 3.Addmixturetoa largebowl,add inchocolatechip.Stirtocombine. 4. Form energy bite mixture into 1” balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 5. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours. 6. Serve! Author: Krista@https://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-energy-balls/
7 9
7 5 8
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6 7 1 4
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http://1sudoku.com
n° 318548 - LevelHard
http://1sudoku.
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