Hypermobile hands - what helps?

[Boots25]

I have very painful hands. Well, I have lots of painful joints but it’s my hands that cause me most bother. Last year I saw a Rheumatologist, I was referred by GP due to mildly raised inflammatory markers (and pain obviously). He said I was very hypermobile and that was the cause of all my pain, prescribed etoricoxib and discharged me.

Pain in my hands continues to worsen and I find it increasingly difficult to do basic tasks. Even picking up a glass for a drink can be very painful and feels like my thumb is not lined up properly. Husband bought me a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas which I’m thrilled with as I’ll be able to start baking again.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what may help make tasks like housework and tasks that require gripping easier?

My daughter did hand physio ( NHS) and it reallly helped, strengthening her joins so they dislocated less

I shall try asking for physio again. Last time I went they said there wasn’t much they could do, gave me some putty to squeeze and discharged me. I think I was there about 20 minutes in total. Maybe I need a physio that specialises in hands?

I'm hyper mobile, but only just - I don't get wrist pain usually, only doing certain tasks like trying to chop big/hard vegetables. I get around it by buying soffrito mix and frozen onions.

Would wrist warmers help a bit? I get ankle/foot pain if my feet get cold so always wear socks and slippers indoors.

Did the consultant not think you might have rheumatoid arthritis?

You can get gloves for hand arthritis that offer warmth and support, but physio is your best option.

No, I thought that I could possibly have psoriatic arthritis as I do get psoriasis but the consultant thought not. He didn’t do any scans or x-rays of my hands though. He did x-ray my knees which have osteoarthritis due to the increased wear and tear I guess from them being so mobile. But it felt like the minute he started examining my hands and saw how hypermobile they are he stopped thinking it could be anything else. To be fair I don’t get massive amounts of swelling/redness/heat, mostly just pain.

HRT helped me - the imflammation and pain increased markedly when I was perimenopausal. I went on HRT for other reasons, so it was a welcome surprise that it helped with my hands.

I'm a massage therapist (very very part time) which was why I noticed

I also had a very good physio because my grip was really affected, but I only felt able to tackle that after the pain was reduced.

I think you need to strengthen the tendons and ligaments in your hand and forearm. Have you tried indoor bouldering or rock climbing?

I would also get checked for rhumatoid arthritis. You can have both.

Just realised you won't be able to rock climb. I'd go see a good private physio. You need to build up your strength gradually.

I am very hypermobile and suffer with my wrists and hands amongst other body parts. I do wrist strengthening exercises. Nothing major, just clenching and stretching. I do them several times a day, every day. You have to keep your muscles strong from top to toe to make up for the loose ligaments. I also stretch everything daily apart from my hamstrings as that makes things worse. Glutes in particular sometimes need a stretch several times a day.

Private physios also have more tools at their disposal like shockwave therapy for the pain.

I have HM, hips, knees, elbows and a bit in hands. I find exercise, HRT, sleeping with arms propped on pillows, and my mum's arthritis cream, as well as voltarol etc have all helped.

Hmmm, I don't really know a lot about either RA or psoratic arthritis to comment on the lack of swelling/redness. But I'm on some FB groups for autoimmune stuff and I have definitely seen posts from people with these who say it's only been picked up via scan after they've complained of pain. So I thought that was the gold standard.

I am hypermobile with EDS and am currently getting investigated for Ankylosing spondylitis. I've been told for years my back pain and ankle pain was due to being hypermobile. But now thanks to a blood test and also me being really pushy I am having an MRI.

For products which might help try the company Active Hands. I don't have an interest in them. I came across them at a disability fair.

Good luck with trying to get any help with hypermobility.

I'm not hypermobile, but I do get painful joints in my fingers (occupational hazard in my case) and I find that using Voltarol as hand cream helps me a lot.

My daughter is hyper mobile with Eds and has had hydrotherapy, and physio. She has gloves as she is doing art gcse and they help
But nothing really helps