Tips tools and tactics for coping with two injured arms

[Neinneinnine]

Just wondering if anyone else has been through this or has any advice or tips for me that might help me become more independent and get back to work better

I broke my dominant arm a couple of weeks ago and just to add to the fun trying to use my other hand has resulted in a flare-up of an old injury meaning I can barely use that hand either at the moment

I am obviously grateful for the invention of voice dictation and I can just about use a touch screen a bit but I really want to get back to working more (desk based work) and am just wondering what tools and equipment are out there that might help me?

And likewise for general life too really. The rest of the family are being helpful but I am really struggling to manage to do very much at all so any tips or suggestions for things I can get hold of or try that might give me a little bit more scope to manage independently would be appreciated. .

I do have some physio lined up for the old injury and I am hoping that will help and I know that the broken arm will of course gradually recover but I think I'm in for a fair bit longer of struggling to have full use of my arms so I want to arm myself with any strategies or equipment that are out there

That sounds tough. Sorry for your predicament. I once watched a documentary about this man who lost both his arms in an industrial accident at work, and as a consequence, became quite skilled and adept at using his feet to do everyday tasks like using cutlery to cut and eat food, and using his feet to dial the phone (this was in the days of touch-tone phones). It was a great documentary because it provided great insight into the adaptability and resilience of human beings. However, I imagine it would take a great deal of time and practice to hone and develop that kind of ability. The only other thing I can suggest is some sort of temporary prosthetic hands? Or maybe just ramp up the physio for the injured arm, and wait for the broken one to heal? Sorry, I can’t be much help. I didn’t want to read and run though. Hopefully, someone better informed will be along. All the best.

Temporary prosthetic hands 😂😂😂

Great idea pp.

Yes I have a horrible feeling the main solution is patience but I'm not very good at that

Just to clarify I do have some use of one hand it's just painful and range of movement is limited

A cross body bag around the house to carry things incl a travel mug for drinks.

And I think just accept youre going to be out of action for a bit. Better to rest the old injury by not pushing too much (assuming you get sick pay). Aim for a phased return to work, eg half days so you're not over-doing it.

I broke my dominant arm a couple of weeks ago and then flared up an old injury in the other hand, so I’m really struggling at the moment.
I’m using voice dictation, but still finding work and daily tasks hard.
If anyone has tips, tools or equipment that helped them stay independent, I’d really appreciate it.
I know it’s temporary, but it’s likely to be a while and I’m keen to manage better in the meantime.

I'm confused have you done the same thing as me? Or are you just summarising my op?

If you've done the same thing then I'm really sorry to hear that!

I’ve actually gone through something similar myself, not just summarizing your post. I had an injury that made everyday tasks difficult too, so I totally understand the struggle.

Understood I'm really sorry to hear that!

Have you found any useful solutions @ADHDFocusedLife ?

Voice dictation has been the main thing that has helped me but obviously I still need to be able to open applications.

I'm really struggling with anything like preparing food and I hate being dependent on others to do everything

You could try one-touch kitchen gadget for cooking. Also, breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps might help reduce the stress of doing everything at once.

You could try using a one-touch kitchen gadget for cooking. Also, breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps might help reduce the stress of doing everything at once.

Are you able to tell me which gadgets are helping you? I am not sure what options are out there and struggling even with googling and searching. I guess if we've got the same injuries it would be really helpful to know of any gadgets that you have found helpful

I'm also struggling because I would love to shower without needing help but I cannot get the waterproof cover on without help. I'm having baths instead when people are busy but would love to have a shower without needing assistance! And even getting out of the bath is tricky as I can't use my hands, I drain it before I get out.

I have one non functional hand and long term tendonitis in the other, so this is my life! I buy a lot of gadgets from Active Hands who specialise in things for those with hand impairments. What would you say your top 3 issues at the moment are and I’ll tell you what works for me

I am simultaneously really glad that you posted and sorry that you have to deal with this all the time.

Workwise my biggest issues are navigating the computer screen so using a mouse really I can't manage without a lot of pain and difficulties. Once I have an email open I can type with voice dictation but getting to that point is tricky

At home it's probably doing my hair, opening bottles, spreading things on bread and I can't manage to open tins or lift anything heavier than basically a slice of bread.

Also I hadn't heard of Active Hands so will look that up thank you!

@Neinneinninefor work I would try an upright mouse as they fit very naturally into the hand without strain. You could also try the extra finger thing Active Hands have which straps to your hand and use that on a touch pad.
Hair- if it’s drying it, then a hair dryer stand is great as you can manoeuvre around, or use a hot air styling brush thing (I have a Babyliss one) but you might need a grip strap to help. Slightly weirdly, the grip aid glove they sell for the gym is fantastic for this, but might be more than you want to spend in a temporary situation.
Hair ties are a beggar to get to work, but I can clip mine up after much experimentation. Try gathering it at the nape of your neck, twiddling it round, then sit down and bend over and clip.
I like the one touch tin opener, and I have an electric jar/bottle opener too. For spreading on bread you need a board with an edge. Mine is like this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/NRS-Healthcare-M79849-Kitchen-Spread/dp/B00FRGNJ2I/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1NOQC22FY9RE9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IP6ALy8M582SFPY3iVblzpjaI3qomIz_bIGVnokPnBuU5izWEbJdjIkdMuLdHajAmzPKxZT6AVzdQrB0eHnEW4GMyPss2MSNKDBHytDK1Z4zFInDFd0aIWwo3T1sHI9bz-AdZE5pGjNaGLyiLM4LvjMxhJaH5ro7sttgZb7E02zmz1Lc2DZYKGv8EQQy0xxnrVJ66p1eegWf0eYddK_PcA.vkpzhfDjpHTutta2bN1hdGeeE7rTcf5bH1CRshFG2ik&dib_tag=se&keywords=disability+cutting+board&qid=1769180394&sprefix=%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-3

You might need a kettle tipper, and I use a slotted spoon to get pasta/ veg out of pans rather than lifting when my tendonitis is bad. Everything goes into the oven on really solid but small trays so I can get it out, and I have a silicone oven mitt which looks like a beak so I can grasp things unlike oven gloves
To eat, I cut everything in the kitchen on my board as a sharp knife is so much easier, but a knork is very helpful

Thank you so much the website is brilliant it has so many useful looking products and I really appreciate your lengthy reply as it's got some really helpful information. I am sorry you are so familiar with this battle but really grateful to you for taking the time to share your wisdom with me!

@Neinneinnine no problem at all. I lost the use of my arm coming up to 15 years ago, so I’ve learnt a lot! The guys at Active Hands are super helpful and always have suggestions as to what will work potentially for people in different situations, plus videos on how to use things