sushi

Anyone else out there suffering from a very sore thumb(s) due to quilt-making? If so, have you found anything that helps?

I damaged the tendon(s) at the base of my left thumb several years ago when I tied too many fleece blankets in a short period of time. While it has never fully healed, I find that cutting, piecing, quilting, and binding quilts exacerbate the problem. (The worst offenders are quilting and binding.)

Has anyone found a solution to this problem? Is there a way to "tape" or brace the thumb that allows it to heal? I don't want to give up quilting for months if there's another way to fix this problem.

Thanks in advance for any wisdom you can provide.

Izaquilter

I can't wait to see the replies on this one! I did the same thing but with the Betty Cotton fold & finish quilt. I too was really pushing to get this done & both of my thumbs became so sore. It seemed like it lasted forever but it's now gone & I have yet to finish that quilt. Looking forward to the answers you get

jaciqltznok

mine came from cutting up TONS of ultrasuede! I have to wear a "hand-eze" glove now if I plan to do a lot of cutting!

irishrose

Do you have a chiropractor who is also a kinesiologist in your area? My family has had so many injuries of this type in sports and life in general and we've had amazing results. I've also found that using the fingerless gloves sold at JoAnn's are wonderful if I'm going to be doing any repetitive activities. I do need new ones. Mine are very coral colored from painting the trim on my house. In your case, I might even sleep in one. Because they are lightweight, they aren't very confining. I've seen them in senior health catalogs, too. I hope you can find help. Giving up quilting is serious!

edit: That's the brand of gloves I have. Thank you, Jacquie

sushi

What is a "hand-eze" glove? How does it work? Do you recommend it?

sewgull

I have Tendonitis in both elbows. There is no cure for tendonitis. Apercreame, Ben-gay, or Bio-Freeze works for me, rub on sore area and hope it feels better soon. A weather change can cause pain from tendonities as over working muscles.

butterflies5518

I wear the hand-eze alot, hand stitching makes my fingers sore and also wear it at work - on the computer 8 hours daily and when super achy wear a craft glove at night (longer finger, tighter weave keeps the hand from swelling), I transform into the green hand lady at night but hey it works!

Jill

I don't know the brand name, but my dr. prescribed a brace that I was able to get through a medical supply store--that way my insurance paid for most of it. I had to wear it at night and eventually the pain was gone. I could wear it during the day if I was basically taking it easy and not using my hand very much.

irishrose

http://www.drugstore.com/handeze-the...92?catid=60001
Click on 'thumb stabilizers' in the center column at the bottom of the page for more thumb specific supports.

nycbgirl

A sports Dr told me to take minerals. He was a customer at work and very arrogant so he didn't explain anything to me. So I remembered my friend told me that her grandmother took Alfalfa and it helped her arthritis so I researched it and lo and behold it's loaded with minerals! Whst I did was: I took 25 (yes 25!) alfalfa pills a day for about 1 week (10 in the morn 10 in the evening 5 at dinner) then took 5-10 a day after that and my tendonitis healed. I do not need it any longer unless I spend hours typng. That was about 15 years ago.