I was very hesitant about adding a De Quervain's page to my site (it seemed so personal an issue). However, I've been extremely surprised by the response that it's received. Many people have written to tell of their own experiences with RSIs, offer their support and suggestions and ask for more information. This page offers a collection of helpful hints for handling tendinitis and other strain injuries.

I'd love to have the opportunity to include your ideas for dealing with De Quervain's or other RSIs. If you have any tips or suggestions which may be of help to others, would you please drop me an e-mail message.

Monique R., a very resourceful stitcher from Texas, suffered from both De Quervain's Tendinitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (one in each wrist). She's developed some excellent strategies...

• Since holding a toothbrush can be extremely painful, Monique suggests using an electric brush.
• Ladies with tendinitis are quite aware of the difficulties of donning and doffing a bra. Monique offers a brilliant suggestion... fasten the bra in front and then spin the clasp around to the back.
• It can be difficult to even lift a hair-dryer, let alone hold it up in the air for a prolonged period of time. Monique suggests choosing a cut that allows hair to air-dry.
• Monique says that she doesn't hesitate to ask for help with simple, everyday tasks that may become too painful or onerous to handle herself (making the bed; loading and unloading the washer and dryer; lifting heavy pots, etc.)
• A small, but very important, tip that Monique offers is to remember to ice your wrist after stressing the tendon. (At the start of my own treatment, I was making a common mistake. We've always kept a couple of those flexible gel-filled, hot/cold packs in our freezer for minor injuries -the ones that can be warmed in the microwave)- and was using these to ice my wrist. These don't freeze and don't become cold enough to be effective. My therapist used crushed ice and suggested using snow in winter... Lynne N.)
• She also recommends 'Rx for Quilters' by Susan Delaney Mech... "There is a great book out there written by an M.D. - it's called Rx for Quilters or something like that. There is great advice in there about setting up a work space, lighting, holding things, posture, exercises, etc. Worth looking for. One of her best bits of advice is to work on general fitness. Gentle strength training while you're in a 'healed' state can make you stronger and more resistant to injury. I do water aerobics with a weight-lifting component (well, acutually, it's float-dunking, but it's the same thing...)"

Paula S. found relief in a different therapy... "... an MD gave me a cortisone shot that went to exactly the right place and after a painful day or so, I was free of pain. Ten years after, I have an occasional ache in my thumb after many hours of x-stitching, but no other symptoms. Something to try that's not as radical as surgery but good to have as an option, since it works so quickly. The only catch is that to be successful, the shot has to be in EXACTLY the right spot, so it's not fool-proof. But it certainly worked for me."

Lucille has also had success with cortisone shots... "... I had cortisone shots into both wrists way back in the early 90's and have been able to control the problem ever since." She also has an extra bit of advice... "One of the best things I found to help, and I do know it's very difficult to do, is keep your hand straight when you sleep. In other words try not to make a fist or bend your wrist. I try to keep my hand flat on the pillow." (I frequently wear my wrist brace while sleeping... Lynne N.)

Shannon L. has coped with Rheumatoid Arthritis for many years and has recently been diagnosed with Tendinitis. Her determination, love of stitching and amazing research skills have led to the discovery of a large number of very useful tips both for coping and prevention...

• "Those Hand-eze gloves (http://www.berroco.com/handeze_glove.html) that I always thought were rather dumb - well, it turns out they would have been a good idea. Not entirely for the support - although that will help soothe the wrist/thumb area. But it keeps the hand/wrist area warm, which keeps the tendons warm, preventing injuries."
• She also addresses the issue of computer mice (mouses?) "... the recommended mouse is one like the Quill mouse: http://store.ergocube.com/quillmouse.html. Or a joy-stick type mouse."
• "I've always had my house set up to minimize wrist/hand use - for example, the kitchen "sticky-stuff" no-skid drawer liner fabric. I bought a roll years ago, cut it up into 6" squares. I use it to open jars or bottles, to keep cutting boards in place - even to hold onto pot/pan handles that seem to slip out of my hand easily."
• "I also had a pair of gloves made of similar stuff to use when washing dishes - my hands have a tendency to let plates fall rather easily. Using the gloves is cheaper than buying new dishes every couple of weeks."
• "... I drink water/juice from beer glasses - they obviously have a narrow section in the glass, which lets my hand wrap almost entirely around the glass to hold it."
• "And I buy pottery mugs - Maxwell Pottery, for example (http://www.maxwellpottery.com/pottery.asp) has a line of mugs that are quite light- but, more importantly, have large handles. This lets me get my entire hand in the handle to grasp the mug."
• "My next goal is actually to go buy a Black and Decker Scumbuster (see epinions.com) ... I find cleaning bathtubs, etc. one of the hardest parts. This appears to solve the problem by doing the scrubbing for you. And the reviews are excellent. It seems light enough to handle easily, so I think I may ask Santa for one this year."

My own De Quervain's is pretty well under control now (although, helping my husband lay a laminate floor and push our conked-out car up the driveway were good for a few days worth of painful twinges!) Here are some questions which I've been asked about my treatment...

WHAT TYPE OF BRACE DO YOU USE?...

I was prescribed a 'Thumb Spica' (#79-87114) which is from djortho (dj Orthopedics).

WHERE DID YOU GO FOR TREATMENT?...

We're very fortunate to have a world-class sports clinic in our city and I was diagnosed by the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic. Since they also have a staff of excellent physio-therapists, I attended the same clinic for treatment.

Actually, I soon noticed a similarity between the physio treatments and Yoga. I started practising Iyengar Yoga and have discovered that it not only helps with over-all toning and posture... it's also strengthened my wrist and as Monique says made it "more resistant to injury".

CAN YOU STILL STITCH?

An excellent floor stand enables me to stitch easily and comfortably... it also helps ensure that my wrist stays healthy. My stand was designed and hand-built by John Wilkes, of Hearthside Craftworks, who created the stand to help his wife, Helen, overcome the difficulties created by her own RSI...

"You know, this business of ours began as a hobby with John building a stand for me because tendonitis was creating such a problem in my arm and shoulder that I couldn't stitch. And since I had just rediscovered stitching (the only cross stitch I ever did before was stamped cross stitch) that wasn't an option for him or me. Thank goodness he is a handyman. So when friends began enquiring if he'd do one for them too and then a local shop asked about it too, he put an Original Floor Stand in The Purple Needle here in Calgary. That was when we discovered how many stitchers were having to pack in their stitching because the old method (hand-held) was too painful. It was really wonderful to think that we could do this as a hobby and help others the way the stand had helped me. Well, many customers have had their input into what our stands are today. We are just thrilled that the stand is working so well for you. May it help you to speed up the process of designing those beautiful patterns and allow you to stitch whenever you wish." EXCERPT FROM A MESSAGE HELEN SENT SHORTLY AFTER I RECEIVED MY STAND

I should probably let you know that my Floor Stand is a later evolution than the one which Helen was speaking about above. Mine is a Mark 2 (with a custom-sized stance and wheels) which, as Helen explains, John developed to satisfy the needs of an English stitcher...

"A customer from England purchased our Lap Stand. We received a letter from her shortly thereafter asking if there was any way John could add legs with rollers so she could have it over her wheelchair and move it out of the way when she needed to get up. (We did not know until she contacted us after she received her lap stand that she had MS and had been unable to stitch for more than a few minutes at a time) and the first time she used the lap stand (which she placed on a board across the arms of her wheelchair) she was able to stitch for 4 hours. It was over a year before John had a design in mind for what we now call the Mark 2... We learned later that she was in the hospital for quite some time and was using her Mark 2 over the hospital bed... " EXCERPT FROM A LETTER HELEN SENT EXPLAINING HOW MY STAND WAS CONCEIVED

Please let me know if you have any tips or advice which you'd like to offer to others. Thank you