Home made wrist splint

[Kiwibird]

You know that old saying about necessity being the mother of all invention? Well, last weekend, I noticed a slight pain in my left wrist, but being as I am, decided to ignore it. I have absolutely no clue what I possibly did, but it's coming from a small area on the underside of my wrist (maybe a tendon?). Well, it has NOT been getting better and has in fact become so excruciatingly painful the pain is starting to spread into my hand. I needed to do *something* about it. Seeing as I neither have the money nor desire to see a doctor, and found $30 for a wrist splint at Walgreens to be ridiculously expensive (for what it is), I decided to do a home fix instead. I am quite proud of myself, though I nearly killed myself making it (sewing on a bad wrist is no good). But I think my poor wrist can rest now, and I can take the whole thing off to shower or do dishes or whatever I wouldn't want a brace for. Quite comfy too, fleece lined, 2 layers of lightweight batting and a rather cute flannel exterior. Total cost- $0 (just some remnants of fabric, snaps in a color I have like 50 sets of and a careful cut paper towel roll for solid brace)-

The little white part is a fleece-covered paper towel roll I cut in half, the cut dow to exactly fit my wrist

Outside of the brace, with a carefully-placed line of elastic sized exactly to my wrist to grip the brace and keep it from shifting out of place

Brace on my arm

Brace cover

 

[RavensGryf]

:11:WoW April!! :11: That is really something!! That's a definite contest winner there. Maybe your inventions can make you extra income somehow? Your level of creativity and talent cannot go to waste! I don't mean "waste", you know what I mean.

 

[MikeyTN]

You need to get your self to a doctor if it doesn't improve!!!! I'm needing to have carpal tunnel surgery done on both of my hands. But so far vitamin B complex is keeping it at bay.....

 

[Kalidasa]

It sounds like it could be tendinitis. I've had carpal tunnel surgery in both hands (not at the same time lol) and the pain from tendinitis to me is more severe. Is it very difficult to write (with a pencil) with that hand? Carpal tunnel was sort of a numb-pain, where tendinitis is more sharp and severe. That's one way to tell. Another is to make a fist and tuck your thumb inside, and bend your fist forward. If its unbearable to do that, it's tendinitis. Hope whatever it is you feel better soon. love the brace! Mine was black and ugly!

 

[Kalidasa]

You need to get your self to a doctor if it doesn't improve!!!! I'm needing to have carpal tunnel surgery done on both of my hands. But so far vitamin B complex is keeping it at bay.....

I've just finished mine a few months ago, trust me its worth it. It disappears completely, like it never even happened. You recover quickly. I went to work the next day (work with my hands) and was just careful, other than that it was no problem. Best decision I've ever made.

 

[Kiwibird]

I don't think it's anything serious like carple tunnel. Plus, this is in my non dominant wrist, as I'm right handed, so I just don't understand why theres pain over there. Plus, I do so much sewing, painting, dusting, stirring ect...- you'd *think* any issues of overuse would be on the right side (not to mention as a kid I broke almost all the bones in my right hand and had compound fractures in my wrist), but that feels fine. Yet, my much less abused and never injured left wrist is the one giving me problems:20: Either way, theres really not much a doctor can do besides tell me to put a splint on it and hand me a bill. I can splint it myself and save a couple hundred bucks. Just my personal thing with doctors- unless I have a broken bone or am literally on deaths door, I don't bother because they usually don't have a whole lot they can do to help that you can't just do at home. And even serious issues that require medical treatment they botch, I've just had such awful experience with them, I only go as a last resort.

In any case, the splint does seem to be doing it's job, MUCH less pain this morning. I will wear it for a while and see if it clears up. I might also try to do some exercises with my hand therapy balls once it's not so sore. I was kind of thinking tendonitis too (or something with a tendon), as it does hurt to move it but there is a spot on the underside of the wrist that is hot, and when you touch it, it is just the most excruciating pain. This is just an irritating thing to have happen, so much colorful language I could use to express my feelings on this about this issue!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I'm so sorry to hear about your wrist, April. That sounds REALLY quite painful.

I'm with you 100% about doctors. Not a fan here either.

That wrist splint you made is phenomenal!!! You are SO SO talented!!! Does Kiwi react to your splint, or does he ignore it?

I'm hopeful that with some TLC and wearing the awesome splint, your hand will be back to normal in no time.

Have you considered icing it, too? Especially on that extremely sore hot spot? Just an idea....

 

[Kiwibird]

Kiwi doesn't seem to mind it. It's on the arm I don't normally handle him on anyways, but I did show it to him and let him touch it with his beak and come step up on it. He seemed intrigued by what it was, especially the buttons lol. Kiwi is not fearful of much.

I'm going to have to do some dishes later, so while it's off, I'll try some ice. I just can't imagine what I did to myself

 

[RavensGryf]

Sometimes these things just seem to happen, and we can't imagine how we did it. I've had an excruciating (at times, and uncomfortable at other times) "thing" in my back since the beginning of the month. Chiropractor didn't help, masseuse didn't help, even the sports medicine doctor who I was desperate to see but couldn't really afford, had to guess as what it was!! I'm on steroid pills for a week right now, but if it doesn't work, then I'll try acupuncture! So I'm saying... I agree how seeing medical professionals can't always give a sure solution, one thing that IS for sure is they will take your money!

Good luck with it April. Hope the splint works for you. I'm glad it at least makes you more comfortable.