Hand Pain Almost Led Me to Give Up Painting

By Lynn J. Rust, PhD and Sherwood Mackel

Gripz

. http://www.gripz.biz

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Hand Pain Almost Led Me to Give Up Painting

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best.

Is hand pain limiting your enjoyment of life? Are dexterity challenges interfering with your daily activities? Perhaps you avoid eating in public places because you have difficulty gripping a fork.

I’ve suffered with hand osteoarthritis which prevented me from continuing to paint in my retirement. While my hand therapist was very helpful in suggesting ways to reduce the pain, she had little to offer to reduce the painful pinching required to handle artists’ paintbrushes. Indeed, the devices that were available – foam tubing and hand braces – weren’t amenable to painting; the foam tubing didn’t fit over the paintbrush handles, and the braces were too restrictive for fine, detailed work.

It was by good fortune that along came my friend, Sherwood, who invented a simple but revolutionary device (the Sher-Hold device) that would slide over the paintbrush handle to enlarge the grip and prevent my thumb and fingers from pinching, thereby allowing me to continue painting. We showed the prototype device to my hand therapist, who explained that the device was relieving stress on the thumb CMC and MCP joints by abducting the joints and putting the thumb and fingers into a more comfortable, “C”-position. Sherwood and I experimented with different prototypes to eventually find the Goldilocks shape and size that allowed me to again paint for hours at a time.

From this beginning, GripZ and our partnership were born. We figured that if the device helped me, it would help millions of others suffering from hand osteoarthritis and other dexterity challenges.

GripZ is dedicated to your quality of life

We started with a line of paintbrush handle Sher-Holds. We now offer Sher-Holds for:

• eating utensils
• guitar picks
• artists’ paintbrushes
• crochet hooks
• pens and pencils
• drumsticks
• golf putters

Each of these devices is multifunctional and can be used with any tool that fits into the center hole. Customers have used them for jewelers’ tools, cellphone repair tools, tablet styluses, and more. We offer different shapes and sizes for individual hand sizes and preferences.

How GripZ helps –

Affordable, Non-Drug Solution: GripZ Sher-Holds are a simple, affordable, effective, and durable solution to hand pain and other manual dexterity challenges.

Ease and Range of Motion: Unlike braces, our devices allow for fine-pinch movement while still keeping thumb and fingers in a safe, “C” position.

Reduced Joint Strain: They are ergonomically designed to fit in the palm of your hand, and rigid to discourage squeezing, thus avoiding stress on thumb ligaments.

Improved Hand Function and Better Control: Regular use relieves chronic pain and enhances hand function. Plus, the ingenious design means you stop dropping things.

Increased Confidence: Feeling secure in everyday activities and being able to engage in creative pursuits using our Sher-Hold devices encourages you to stay active and enjoy life.

User Comfort and Preference: The devices don’t dictate finger placement, thus accommodating your hand shape and comfort.

Adaptable and Versatile: Sher-Hold devices fit over common household tools – no need to replace utensils, pens, or craft tools with bulky alternatives.

Portable and Easy to Clean: Lightweight and dishwasher-safe, they are designed to go where you go! Just drop them into your pocket or purse.

Take Back Your Grip on Life!

Maintain your independence while performing activities of daily living, and pursue your creative passions, for more hours at a time and for many years to come. Visit us at gripZ.biz.