Patient Feedback

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF THE DIGIT WIDGET (from one wearer to another)

I spent the first few days looking at the two widgets adorning my middle and ring fingers, thinking “what the HECK have I got myself into now?” Like labor during the birthing process, it was too late to back out! I did not know how long my therapy would last, but I knew that Flip and Flop (yes, I named them) would be riding my fingers for a while. Since then, I have learned a lot about these two. Stuff I want to pass on to present and future wearers.

Feeding the Widget

Widgets dine on torque bands. The menu consists of light, medium and heavy weights. Widgets need a new band every day (unless your doctor specifies otherwise). Start with the weight your doc wants and add more weight as necessary. Rule of thumb is slow and steady. You may get by with using the lightweight band for the length of your therapy or you may end up combining bands or alternating band weights. Whatever it takes to get those fingers straight! And your fingers will let you know if a weight is too heavy! They are likely to hurt or swell. Pre stretching heavier bands helped. Of course, feeding a widget a new band every day involves removing the old and replacing it with the new. One can use the tool enclosed in your kit or a paperclip. I used neither because I took the “lazy way”. That is, I removed the tabs from the cuff before changing bands, releasing the band pressure, so that I could easily change bands.

Cuff Positioning

I had a lot of fun with this one! It seemed like it was too tight, too loose, and “what strap wraps around what and why”. Like the instructions say, keep the smooth side against your skin. The DW tag will lay inside your palm under your small finger, and the rest will “follow” just across the back of your knuckle line (the ones joining your palm with your fingers). The Cuff should feel snug but not tight.

Cuff Care

My cuffs got dirty very quickly, so I changed them either every day or every other day…depending on how dirty they were. I had an extra cuff so that I could wear my devices while the freshly washed cuff air-dried. To wash, I would fill up a small sink with water and little antibacterial dish detergent. Using my good hand, I would squeeze the suds through and then rinse, using the same squeezing method! I would then towel dry it and then let it air dry.

Curly Cuff Straps

I either trimmed the ends off or taped the ends down with masking tape when they curled up. The customer care team at Hand Biomechanics Lab will send a new cuff (or other supplies) by mail at no charge, just give them a few day’s notice when you need it.

MP Strap

The long extra strap that came with my kit is called the MP Strap. It is used for holding down fingers that “backbend” (hyperextend). Like the instructions say, use only if your doctor or therapist advises it.

Lifting

My tabs would lift the cuff up at the knuckles. I would put a Velcro strap or a piece of masking tape over the tabs to hold them down as my doc wanted them as flat as possible. Your MP strap can be used for this if not otherwise using it. You can also ask Hand Biomechanics Lab for some extra pieces of Velcro.

Pin and skin care

Suggest you follow your doctor’s instructions per pin care! The last thing you need is an infection. Your fingers are already ticked off! You do not want to tick them off more! If the cuff irritates your skin, suggest you wear a cotton stockinette or a thin cotton sock under the cuff. IT MUST BE COTTON! Ask the care team for an example of how to make your own stockinette.

Tab Placement

The tab aligns with your big knuckle. I thought of the tab’s round silver screw tab as an eye. I would turn my hand around and use the “eye” to line up with my big knuckle.

The “Arm”

This is the long bar (the Connector Assembly) that connects your device to the cuff. Snapping it on and off is like learning to ride a bike. May be scary at first and you may have to try several times to get the “click”, but once you learn, it is easy. And yes…they can go on backwards, though, from experience, I would not recommend it. And no…they do not break easily! Trust me on that one!

Using your hand

I found that Flip and Flop did not prevent me from doing a lot of things, though I had to get creative doing them. As my fingers uncurled, I found that I could do more things.

The Public
Flip and Flop caught the eyeballs of many. Some people would look away, some would stare. Some asked me about them. I rarely covered them, but when I did, I used a big sock. I cut holes for my thumb and pinkie.

Need stuff?

You are likely to need more supplies…more bands, perhaps another cuff or two. Please contact the number provided in your kit. The Hand Biomechanical Lab will be happy to supply these things, at no cost to you.

Progress

As I write this, Flip and Flop have been with me for 9 weeks. My fingers are no longer curled at 90 degrees. I estimate they are at 35. The plan is to give Flip and Flop another 3 weeks. I’m hoping that you will have good results with your own Flip and/or Flop.

Linda Jeffries, B.A., M.P.A, RN