Choosing a thumb, hand, wrist brace

You may experience thumb pain or difficulties to unscrew a cap or feel a loss of grip strength? To stop suffering and recover hand’s mobility, braces are satisfying solutions. Currently, supply is abundant on the market and choosing the right brace is difficult. Get help to choose the most appropriate brace for your hand’s shape and condition. EPITACT®, care in motion specialist, gives you some tips to choose the best brace.

Choosing a brace for thumb, hand or wrist?

A brace is a medical device whose objective is to protect and/or hold and immobilise a joint. The hand has several joints in the thumb, fingers and wrist. Your condition as well as the intensity of pain should guide your choice. It is preferable to consult a health professional to take into account the criteria specific to your case.

Who can wear a brace?

Braces are designed to people who suffer from joint, tendon or ligament pain, but they can also be used as preventive tools. This type of medical device aims to support a joint to strengthen its natural functions, especially in the case of intense use.

Why do your hands hurt?

Generally, the joints in the hands are continuously moving during recreational or occupational activities. These activities often play a part in the onset of the pain and condition you’re suffering from, or at least contribute to their intensity. In some cases, hand or wrist pain can be associated with traumas like a fracture. In other cases, repeated microtraumas can progressively deteriorate the hand’s joints: it is the case for thumb osteoarthritis for example. To palliate the pain caused by these conditions, laboratories like EPITACT® have developed innovative, light and comfortable solutions.

Choosing a preventive brace

In the case of intense sport or occupational activity, the wrist and fingers can particularly be overused. What is important if you’re prone to thumb pain is to do proper movements, to limit microtraumas and to slow down the development of the first symptoms.

Choosing a brace to relieve hand, thumb or wrist pain

We can differentiate three types of braces designed to relieve specific pains: braces that hold the joint, braces that immobilise it and those that stabilise it. Beyond the type of brace, it is essential to understand the origin of pain and the condition in question.

Which brace for carpal tunnel syndrome?

Tingling in the fingers close to the thumb often reveals carpal tunnel syndrome. To relieve this condition, wearing a rigid brace at night or during resting periods reduces pain. The CARP'IMMO™ model* has been created by EPITACT® to hold the wrist in a neutral position in order to soothe the joint.

During the day, wear a flexible brace to preserve wrist mobility while limiting microtraumas. The CARP'ACTIV™ brace* puts on like a glove: light and comfortable, it accompanies in your daily life!

Which brace for thumb osteoarthritis?

If your pain is more intense in the wrist and if gripping objects is difficult or impossible, it may be thumb osteoarthritis. This is often the case when you inadvertently drop objects. With thumb osteoarthritis, the pain related to the deformity can be reduced thanks to an appropriate brace. EPITACT® offers two models. The first brace* is rigid and designed for night use to limit pain. If you need your hand mobility, the second brace* is flexible and designed to support and relieve the thumb without impeding movements.

What cost for a wrist, hand or thumb brace?

The EPITACT® braces are medical devices. Therefore, the manufacturer offers a suggested retail price to distributors who can accept it or not. This can explain possible differences of prices according to the sales channel or pharmacy.

NB: the fair price for a brace depends on several criteria. Among them, the work that precedes innovation required for the development of a brace is an important factor. Then, the quality and origin of materials that compose the device are essential. Moreover, the performance and origin of technical fabrics modify the final price. Lastly, the modes of production and distribution of the brace should also be taken into account.

For instance, technical and thin weaved fabrics used by EPITACT® provide both relief and comfort in a quality brace.

Also, after determining which brace is appropriate for your condition, be careful to choose the correct size. Poorly adapted models could be harmful: to avoid it, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Note that the average lifespan of orthopaedic devices is estimated at 6 months, on condition that it is regularly and properly maintained (washing, drying) in compliance with the instructions provided.

*These products are class I medical devices that bear the CE marking under this regulation. Carefully read the instructions before use. Manufacturer: Millet Innovation. 04/2021