Adapting Tools to fit the user

Osteoarthritis of the hands runs in my family. It's one of those things one mostly has to just live with. I say "mostly" because I have learned a few tricks along the way.

I've been making an effort to do some practical crotchet projects. I had to face up to the fact that holding the narrow crotchet hook limited the time I could spend, and tended to give me cramping and discomfort if I pushed it.

Then I engaged my brain and thought of how we'd tried some pencil adaptations when my son was young. None of those specific techniques seemed quite right for what my goals were, so I kept looking in those collections of "too good to throw out, but not wanted enough to use" piles that all creative homes seem to attract.



This is a advertising gimmick eraser my kid brought home at some point - no, I'm not going to give the company free advertising on permies by showing you the other side. I drilled longitudinally through it, which mostly poked a hole and disrupted the rubber, but it was enough to push the hook through and have "stiction" hold it firmly.

It took a bit of practice to get used to the feel of it in my hand, but I can now crotchet without frustration, and the net project is progressing.

So people, if you have a tool that's not fitting your hand, there are ways to fix that! If you need input, post about it on permies - here works for textile tools, but we have other appropriate spots for other sorts of tools. I should have done this five years ago!

Coming up with something for some of my screwdrivers could be helpful for me, seeing how some of the handles are to small for my hands when it comes to the thickness and/or length.

when i first started dealing with hand arthritis, we did a bunch of small-scale adaptations to improve my quality of life.

turning things like keys and faucets were the absolutely worst. We made keys bigger (rubber things that fit over them, mostly), attached strings to padlocks so that when I dropped them they didn't go far on the other side of the gate, and replaced all of our faucet fixtures with new equipment that uses levers instead of small twisty handles. when things were really bad, i could even put a bit of sawn-off pipe over the levers to make it easier to turn on the water.

I also got really good at building up handles on everything. Bike handlebar tape, pool noodles, bits of random cushy foam and even some leftover garden hose all got cut/drilled to be used as handles. The best is a piece of semi-rigid foam that was a handle cushion on a piece of exercise equipment. I have cut a piece of it to use with a crochet hook, when I locate it next I'll take a pic. I also have some "pencil holders" meant to help early writers that I've used as cushions on pens and crochet hooks.

Jay, I did this, too!  I have one of those peg looms. The tool didn't fit right or feel right in my hand (I have arthritis as well).  So I had to made a few adjustments to it.  Works like a charm now.  What is that saying: Necessity is the birth of innovation (invention?).  

This is awesome!!  Great thinking on your new tool!  --Tess

Along the lines of what Tereza did, I tied a piece of twine to the handle of my broadfork, allowing me to push it into the ground with my foot. partially push it down with my hands then finish with my foot.
The string is to pull the handles back up after they've been pushed all the way down. Way less bending over to retrieve the handles is a good thing for my creaky old body.

One of the things I did for a living was mechanic. I have many wrenches and other things that were heated then bent to fit into tight or difficult spaces.

Jay Angler wrote:Osteoarthritis of the hands runs in my family. It's one of those things one mostly has to just live with. I say "mostly" because I have learned a few tricks along the way.  

So people, if you have a tool that's not fitting your hand, there are ways to fix that! If you need input, post about it on permies - here works for textile tools, but we have other appropriate spots for other sorts of tools. I should have done this five years ago!

I know some people have played around with a squash or tennis ball threaded onto their hooks.