But many people still have residual symptoms, even with optimal drug treatment.
If that applies to you, you might want to consider rings splints.
Ring splints also may help reduce pain and discomfort in your fingers.
This can have a variety of causes, but the two most common are osteoarthritis andrheumatoid arthritis.
Both conditions can cause the joints to be painful and stiff.
In some cases, the joints might be swollen.
Your hands may not be as strong and flexible as they used to be.
You might have difficulty performing certain everyday activities, like opening a jar.
Both conditions can also cause long-term changes to the joints of the hand, particularly if not well-treated.
Some types of deformities are known by specific names.
Osteoarthritis can also lead to permanent changes in the shape of the hand.
Arthritic joints are also more prone to injury than non-arthritic joints.
That very instability can make them even more unstable and even more prone to pain and injury over time.
They provide solidity to the joint, so that it does not have to move as much.
Because of this, ring splints may be able to reduce potential symptoms.
Some positive effects might include:
Ring splints give you another avenue to use to manage your arthritis.
Who Can Benefit From Ring Splints?
Unfortunately, there arent many good scientific studies on the benefits of ring splints.
While many people say that they find them helpful, there isnt detailed information about their effectiveness.
But we need to learn more.
Thats because the most definitive information is available about the use of hand orthoses in that particular joint.
Thats because there isnt a lot of solid scientific data describing their positive effects.
Could Splinting Potentially Harm Joints?
Youll only be limiting movement in certain joints (or maybe just one).
Some critics of ring splints have expressed concerns that movement is important for joint health.
However, others have described and studied their potential benefits.
As more rigorous research is done, the picture will become clearer.
Because of this, several different types of ring splints are available.
These provide support at different joints and treat different alignment issues.
Many of them are named for the pop in of deformity they are made to address.
Some of these include:
Other types of hand orthoses may be of benefit to people with arthritis.
For example, some evidence suggests that specifictherapy glovesmay reduce pain and stiffness in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Some ring splints are made of plastic or foam and aluminum.
Such splints have the advantage of being less expensive, but they are a bit bulky.
Rings splints can also be made of precious metals such as silver and gold.
These types of ring splints are often highly decorative and look more like jewelry than a medical rig.
Such ring splints are generally more durable and long-lasting compared to other types.
They may also talk to you about other possibilities in terms of hand orthoses for arthritis.
They should evaluate your hand function and talk to you about your specific complaints.
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