Tag: Product review

Hobbies and Sport, Sport and Fitness

How to Stabilise The Wrist When Swimming

Hope Amos

Swimming is a great, low-impact form of exercise that gives a full-body workout. I knew that if I could stabilise my wrist enough, swimming would help me to build up strength in my arm that is still weakened after a fracture and nerve damage from a road accident. I tried several ways to stabilise the wrist, and found some great solutions.

Disclaimer: This blog post is based on my experiences. I am not a medical professional so always check with your doctor before trying new things that could aggravate your medical condition.

Support Tape (Lightweight Support)

Physio tape/ kinesiology tape/ sports tape is adhesive and slightly stretchy. It can be applied in different ways to best support muscles or joints during exercise. A waterproof tape should last for at least one swim session. Because this tape is designed to provide support without restricting movement, it’s on the lightweight side. Personally, several layers of tape wrapped around my wrist and crossing my palm were not enough to prevent my wrist subluxing when swimming.

If you have sensitive skin, tape might not be suitable for you.

Box of Rock Tape kinesiology tape. Photo of a woman on the box with tape applied to her upper arm and upper leg
Kinesiology tape

Neoprene Splint (Medium-High Support)

Neoprene splints are a comfortable support that can easily be removed and reused. Neoprene is slightly buoyant in water, and heavier when saturated when lifted out of water. For this reason, wearing a splint on just one wrist gives a slightly lopsided feel, especially when swimming frontcrawl, butterfly or backstroke. It feels less odd in breaststroke and is otherwise quite easy to adjust to.

Neoprene wrist splint secured across the back of the hand and wrist by velcro straps
Side view of neoprene wrist splint

Using a neoprene splint with a metal insert will restrict wrist movement the most, giving the most support. A metal insert will lock the wrist so that the back of the hand is slightly drawn backwards towards the wrist. Although possible to swim in this position, if you don’t require so much support, using a wrist wrap or splint without a metal insert will allow the wrist to move into a more streamlined swimming position. Click here for my reviews of different types of wrist splints. You could also combine a splint with support tape underneath.

Chlorine will damage the elasticity of the neoprene splint over time so it is important to rinse well after every use.

Forearm Fulcrums and Bolster Paddles (High Support)

Forearm fulcrums and bolster paddles are swimming aids designed to lock the hand and wrist in the optimum position for swimming (early vertical forearm position, or EVF). As well as supporting your wrist, they will improve your technique! All main strokes (breaststroke, frontcrawl/freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly) are possible using these swim aids. Because they alter your swimming style, it is recommended to try them out over short distances at first.

I use the FINIS Forearm Fulcrums which pass over the back of the forearm, under the wrist, and across the back of the hand in a figure 8 loop to lock the wrist in position. Rubber at the inside of the wrist and back of hand and arm prevents the Forearm Fulcrum from slipping. Because there is no fabric involved, they are very easy to care for. They come in two sizes: Junior for teens and petite adults, and Senior. I tried both sizes and although both worked for me, the Junior size was a better fit and didn’t require so much tension to hold the fulcrum in place when swimming.

  • FINIS Forearm Fulcrum Pair in Package
  • FINIS Forearm Fulcrum Junior on Right Arm

I have palmar mid-carpal wrist instability and can happily swim using these without any subluxations or dislocations as my wrist is unable to move up or down when they are in place. I also have a partially-trapped median nerve, and preventing my hand from moving also helps to reduce nerve irritation and pain. The FINIS forearm fulcrums enabled me from not being able to use my right arm at all, to swimming 500m using both arms the first time I used them.

The FINIS Bolster Paddles are designed with the same goal of stabilising the wrist in the EVF position with a solid hand paddle to increase water resistance. The plastic paddle is secured around the forearm with two velcro straps, and the fingers are held in place by a rubber strap. I haven’t had the chance to try them yet so please leave a comment if you have/haven’t found them useful.

Health, Lifestyle

Wrist Splints Review

Hope Amos

My recommendations for wrist supports to prevent subluxation and clenching at night.

I have a pain response where I tightly clench my fist and arm in my sleep. This causes my wrist to sublux (joint pops partially out) and stretches and irritates my median nerve, which was damaged in an accident. Both of these things cause more pain and perpetuate the cycle so a year ago my doctor recommended wearing a wrist splint at night to prevent these things from happening.

Recently I had to replace my splint and was a bit bewildered by all the different options, so I have tested and reviewed six supports below. All the splints cover the palm and include a metal bar up the inside of the wrist and bent into the palm. It’s more comfortable than it sounds and the bar helps to stop the fist from folding in towards the arm. When putting a splint on I clench my fist and arm muscles with my arm straight so that I won’t make the splint too tight or restrictive.

In an ideal world, consult with your doctor for the best advice. I appreciate we don’t all have the access we need at the moment and sometimes a quick fix or stopgap is helpful. For the same reason, although I try to avoid it, these are all links to Amazon. They have a huge range of wrist supports, and a decent return and refund system.

My original splint (Praxis)

My doctor gave me this splint when I first said I was having problems clenching my fist overnight. The strap around the wrist and arm is fully adjustable as it can attach to anywhere on the neoprene and provides enough support to stop my wrist from subluxing. It’s easy to line up and put on one-handed because of the way the big strap wraps around. The neoprene gives some additional warmth which I find nice except for on very hot nights. This splint comes quite high up over the palm of the hand so the design and the metal bar inside really stop the wrist from being able to flex.

I love this splint and find that it works really well and is very comfortable. The only downside is that attaching the Velcro to the neoprene causes it to fuzz and become less sticky over time. I think the lifespan of this splint if you wear it every night is probably around six months before the Velcro stops working. You can sew Velcro on top of the neoprene to increase the lifespan which I did but after about 12 months it’s really frayed and stretched beyond repair.

Splint #2 (Praxis, £5.99)

I bought this splint as a replacement for my worn out one. It’s the same brand, but a slightly altered design. They’ve changed the type of velcro on the wrist wrapping part, maybe to try to avoid the neoprene fuzzing. I’m not sure if it’s an improvement as I found this made it less sticky at the edges.

It’s one size fits all; I have small hands and wrists and find it comfortable and supportive enough. It restricts wrist movement curling the hand towards the wrist best, but doesn’t totally restrict wrist movement side to side.

Splint #3 (Actesso, £9.85)

I was looking for something that would be more breathable and cooler to wear in the summer. The design of this splint is quite a common one with panels of stretchy, breathable fabric at the sides. It’s quite difficult to put this splint on because has multiple straps and it’s tricky to hold the splint closed and line them all up. I chose this splint specifically because it looked the most breathable, but unfortunately because it has both elastic and thin parts, it doesn’t prevent my wrist from bending very much.

Splint #4 (BodyTec, £6.49)

This splint has a similar design to the one above but is made of neoprene. Again, from the side view it can be seen that the fabric of the splint doesn’t actually overlap itself. This does cut down on bulkiness but if you’re looking for a sturdy wrist support, it might be too stretchy. It was still possible for me to flex my hand inwards and sublux my wrist so I found this splint too flimsy and didn’t brace my hand well enough.

Splint #5 (Zofore, £13.97 but currently unavailable*)

If splints are like a prison for your wrist, this splint is Alcatraz. It’s very well made and sturdy, and the design ensures that skin doesn’t get trapped in the join. The straps are not stretchy and the middle strap wraps all the way around the arm and back on itself, making this splint the most supportive that I tried. It’s possible to tighten the straps so that you have no flexion in the wrist at all. I ordered the smallest size but the top strap is still a little long, so has to be positioned at an angle. Overall the fit is fine for my wrist and arm though. It is made of breathable fabric but now it’s cooler I haven’t noticed whether it’s effective.

The ‘strengths’ (literally) of the splint are also its weaknesses. Three straps are quite difficult to coordinate with one hand, especially the long middle one which sticks to everything when I’m trying to put it on. The first few times it was difficult to find the correct fit and not over tighten it, which led to me cutting off my circulation in my sleep, because it’s not so stretchy.

* Correct October 29th 2020

Wrist support (Dr Arthritis, £12.95)

Not a splint, but I sometimes use this wrap-around neoprene wrist support during the day. Although not as supportive, I find it useful if my wrist is feeling very weak and I have to do something where I need wrist flexibility like yoga or moving heavy things around. The neoprene strap that wraps all round the wrist gives the extra support I need to stop my wrist subluxing. Again because it’s neoprene it showing signs of wear, but I’ll probably replace it with the same kind because it is very comfortable.

I can’t speak for how well these splints will help for other wrist conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome- you may find that you don’t need as much support or restriction of movement, or prefer to wear something less bulky. Several of the product pages state that they are used by the NHS although I’m not sure how you’d check that.

For preventing wrist clunching and subluxation at night, my top recommendation would be the Praxis splint, as I find it the easiest to put on and the most comfortable. Its only downsides are that it wears out relatively quickly (this may have been improved by the new design) and it can be hot to wear. The black Zofore splint was the sturdiest splint that I tried and was very supportive. I did find it difficult to get the fit right and coordinate the straps at first but have got the hang of it after a couple of weeks. I’d recommend putting a new splint on an hour or so before going to bed to get the fit right and avoid overtightening.

Tips for choosing a wrist splint:

  • Fewer straps will make it easier to put on
  • A strap that wraps all the way around the wrist will give better support
  • Stretchy and breathable materials might not provide enough support
  • Neoprene is a comfortable and warm material, maybe too warm
  • Doctors may advise against wearing splints in the day to avoid deconditioning muscle. Always speak to a doctor for the best advice

Lifestyle, Transport

Adapting My Car for Hand Disability: Choosing Steering Aids

Hope Amos

The aim: steering one-handed and driving without having to grip with the right hand. (Disclaimer, I have two hands, but one can’t be trusted to turn the steering wheel safely).

After some research on the Motability website and getting cleared to drive by the DVLA (see ‘Adapting my Car for Hand Disability: Timeline‘). I was ready to start adapting my car.

Choosing the steering aids

I did all my research online with the help of Motability online resources. If there hadn’t been a pandemic I would have preferred to try a range of aids in person as I had a bit of trial and error to find the best steering spinner and indicator extension. Steering spinners bolt onto the wheel and rotate so the driver can keep turning without letting go. An indicator extension allows control of the lever from the other side of the wheel. Having help to fit these tightly was essential as I couldn’t have done it by myself (thanks family). These steering aids, along with automatic transmission enable me to steer left-handed, while my right hand controls the indicator and windscreen wipers without the need to grip anything.

Not for me: The steering peg (£59 + £6 postage with VAT exemption, Alfred Bekker)

a hand holding the handle of a steering peg that is about 15cm long. It has a base which bolts onto the steering wheel
Alfred Bekker Steering Peg

I liked the quick-release feature, and it felt sturdy and well made. Unfortunately the angle for my wrist didn’t feel comfortable and it was difficult to turn the wheel by pushing upwards. It also stuck out from the steering wheel more than expected (~15cm) so I had to sit further back. This might not be such a problem if you have long legs. (Hex key needed but not included).

Other variants of steering peg exist, including a version with attached glove for extra support.

Budget choice: Steering mushroom (£12.99, Hypersonic on Amazon)

The wrist position for this one was much more comfortable and it was easier to push the steering wheel upwards by using the heel of my hand. The size was fine, even for my small hand. The head isn’t padded and feels a bit flimsy but the bolt on part is metal. I drove using it about 10 times and it didn’t slip on the wheel at all. there is some play on the spinner head itself which made it a bit difficult to make very small adjustments. Hex key included.

a steering knob attached to the steering wheel. It is bolted on
Hypersonic steering spinner
hand holding a steering spinner from the side
Alfred Bekker Steering Mushroom

Best investment: Steering mushroom (£59 with VAT exemption, Alfred Bekker)

The customer service team for this company were honestly so helpful and agreed to exchange the steering peg I’d bought for a mushroom one.  It felt more sturdy and hard wearing than the Hypersonic one and didn’t wiggle at all. I like the quick-release function in case someone else needs to drive my car and I want to remove it temporarily. It sticks out further than the Hypersonic spinner so it can be gripped from the top or the side. (Hex key needed but not included).

Steering spinner installation

This was a bit of an issue, each spinner came with minimal placement instructions. I originally thought the ideal place to install would be at the bottom of the wheel at 6 o’clock but it was actually 10 o’clock for me, steering left handed.

Indicator extension

Fitting this was a nightmare! The indicator extension comes as a long, straight wire that requires bending to fit it over the back of the steering wheel, to the other side. Someone strong had to do this for me using a vice and pliers. Again, it came with minimal instructions as all car indicator stalks are different. The indicator stalks in my car are tapered and the extension bolts on, so it kept sliding to the centre where there was no leverage for it to work. Attempts to pad the stalk with electrical tape were partly successful, until we had a hot day and the tape melted and everything slid off.

The solution was to cut some bike inner tube to the exact width of a thin, non-tapered part in between the twisting parts of the stalk controlling the lights. This allowed the extension to bolt on to the stalk without restricting the lights controls.

Wire extension (£25 with VAT exemption, Alfred Bekker)

When it was finally fitted it was great and worked just as hoped. It’s very easy to flick up and down and doesn’t require gripping. Fitting was incredibly difficult and time consuming (may be different for other vehicles) but there’s no better alternative in this price range.

The dream: Wirelessly controlled indicator and lights system. Price on application

Car functions like indicators and lights can be mapped to buttons on a steering spinner, or elsewhere in the car. I couldn’t find any prices for these online, and they require professional installation. This would be a big investment but I imagine with some customisation this would enable total one-handed control of the car if needed. I’ll be sticking with my £25 alternative for now though!

The Finalised Setup

view of steering wheel with steering knob and indicator extension

Top tips:

  • Research and try things out if you can
  • Allow some time to get things fitted correctly
  • Get help with the installation

New Update! Driving One-Handed: Six Months On

Advice for hiring a car: Which Car Hire Companies Support Drivers Who Use Steering Aids?

This was not a sponsored piece.