CHRONIC PAIN: wrist cutlery

[PerkingFaintly]

Does this exist?

Something to strap spoons and forks to one's wrist?

It's something I've wanted off and on for a while. Most adapted cutlery still seems to be intended to be held by the hand, but on Bad Hand Days I'd like to bypass my hands entirely.

I noticed other people mentioning cutlery probs on the "we need a Chronic Pain board" threads, but haven't seen if anyone had a solution.

I've found a cutlery strap, but again it's intended for use on the hand.

That'll just rotate if used on a wrist.

www.nrshealthcare.co.uk/eating-drinking-aids/cutlery-aids/goodie-strap

I know what you mean, and it would be useful wouldn't it? Even while taking Imraldi (Ps and PsA), my fingers joints and knuckles are sometimes incredibly tender for some reason. Today is a very bad day.

I can type via dictation software, but today I'm struggling with drinking a cup of tea. Won't eat for a while, and it'll have to be a cheese sandwich or similar that my son makes for me when I do.

I've looked at various aids before but never found anything that looked like it would really do the job.

Oh this is a good question, I find forks particularly painful to use, my hand just cramps up.

I wonder if some sort of cuff, with a pocket for the utensil handle, might do the trick.

Google JJZXPS Steady Spoon, that's a possibility, although if you have slim wrists you'd have to put an extra hole in the strap.

(Sorry can't do link.)

This is the link for the Steady Spoon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Steady-Spoon/dp/B00GM4741Q?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

The Steady Spoon is still used by hand, though.

I don't know, maybe I'm not giving handstrapped cutlery enough of a chance.

Maybe it would offer enough relief to make eating less of a chore, even if not as good as it could be.

Sounds like you need more of a DIY solution as is often the way. When my hands are very weak I’ve used plastic (run for the hills!) disposable cutlery. It’s so light you hardly feel anything.

I’m wondering if you used some sort of wrist band thinking of towelling ones for running over palm of hand and slotting plastic cutlery under it? But that doesn’t depend if you can put on or take off by yourself.

I tried it with my wheelchair cuffs, but without a pocket the fork just slid everywhere, and was at the wrong angle from the start.

Mind you, that was with ordinary metal cutlery. As you say, lightweight plastic cutlery might make the difference.

In my own case, I can take the hit of pain while putting it on or cutting meat up. But to then be able to relax and eat the meal without every mouthful being its own little battle would be great.

Ah but that only works if you only using a fork and don’t need cut anything up.

Yes! This exists. It’s a wrist splint with a pocket built in for putting cutlery in. Here’s a link to one in the US just so you can get a look at it and I’ve attached the picture from the site for those who don’t want to click/ might have difficulty clicking the link and then coming back.
www.ncmedical.com/item_206.html

THANK YOU!

That looks amazing!

On that link, you can see they have another model that actually goes partially up your arm like a normal wrist splint, so is even more stabilized and might cause less pain or pressure on a single joint. If this fits the bill, I can see if I can find a UK supplier for you, @PerkingFaintly?

The Deluxe model features a 2-5/8" (6.6cm) deep Kydex® palmar cuff with leather pocket riveted to the cuff. This pocket can be rotated to any position to hold a pen or other utensil for typing, turning pages, painting or writing.

Oh ho ho! Typing with less pain would be the fab...

A UK supplier that doesn't actually require the arm (and a leg) in payment, would be wonderful!

Thank you.

I'm actually having a good few months (touches wood), so no hurry on my part, but I'm sure others will be interested.

@PerkingFaintly

The Steady Spoon is still used by hand, though.

I don't know, maybe I'm not giving handstrapped cutlery enough of a chance.

Maybe it would offer enough relief to make eating less of a chore, even if not as good as it could be.

I see you've already found a better solution 👍🙂 but there's a picture somewhere in an advert for the Steady Spoon cutlery that shows the strap being used as a wrist strap rather than a hand / knuckle area strap.

But the wrist splint with pocket gadget posted by @RightYesButNo looks better tbh.

Useful stuff. Thank you

I reckon if one bought a smaller size, that splint could be fitted entirely above the hand.

I'm not sure how much the device scrunches the knuckles together ( a problem with anything tight across the hand), but if it does, then fitting it entirely to the arm could be a solution.

That’s problem with aids you pay a ton of money and often they don’t fit or work as they should. But by then it’s too late!

In an ideal world, the disability aid shops would have a selection available to trial.

Of course, that assumes being able to get there!

So the original one I posted was something like 60 quid! Good grief. I looked and looked because I too saw the hand-strap-like ones but I was trying to find one that might work for a wrist and it wouldn’t slip around your wrist, and I found this:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002ECDODC/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8
Yes, it’s still probably overpriced for what it is, as most disability aids seem to be, but much cheaper. But also if you look closely at this one, it seems to me like the pocket has a tight foam hole in it, so you might be able to use it with a pen, pencil, toothbrush, etc? Also, you could use the Velcro to perhaps attach it to another wrist splint you were already wearing?

Is this something that could help? The company is based in the USA though so I don't know shipping costs.
www.arthritissupplies.com/universal-leather-adl-cuff-with-elastic-strap.html

I've found some similar things, but stupidly all based in Belgium or The Netherlands.