Thumb or wrist brace: which one to choose?

Do you have pain at the base of your thumb, difficulties to opening a jar or feel a loss of grip strength? Or do you have a tingling and numbness sensation in your hand and fingers? Arthritis of the basal thumb joint and carpal tunnel syndrome are both frequent diseases.

To stop suffering and recover mobility, thumb and wrist braces are satisfying solutions. But which one to choose among all those available online? EPITACT^®, orthopaedic care specialist, gives you some tips to choose the best thumb brace for arthritis and wrist brace for carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.

What is a thumb brace or a wrist brace? How do they work?

A brace is a medical device designed to support or immobilise a part of the body in a resting position. They help to strengthen the natural functions of a joint, especially in the case of intense use. They are mainly recommended for people who suffer from joint, tendon or ligament pain, but they can also be used as preventive tools.

The hand has several joints in the thumb, fingers and wrist. Your condition as well as the intensity of your pain should guide your choice. It is always preferable to consult a health professional to take into account the criteria specific to your case.

Why do your hands hurt?

There are many causes of hand pain. The fact that we use them all day long, during hobbies, sports, at work or at home explains why they are often affected. 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.

Indeed, repetitive movements can cause microtraumas and stresses that progressively damage the joints, tendons, ligaments, etc. They can contribute to sprains, tendonitises, osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, for example. In other cases, such pain can result from a trauma like a fracture.

To ease the pain caused by frequent hand conditions, laboratories like EPITACT^® have developed innovative, light and comfortable solutions.

Choosing a brace to relieve hand, thumb or wrist pain

Some movements of daily life are major risk factors for conditions like thumb arthritis, wrist tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. EPITACT^® has developed complementary wrist and thumb braces that hold the hand in a neutral position, limiting microtraumas and the progression of your symptoms.

Which carpal tunnel wrist brace to choose?

Numbness and tingling in the first three fingers and half of the fourth, in the hands and wrists often reveals carpal tunnel syndrome. To relieve this condition, you can wear a brace at night or during resting periods to reduce pain. The EPITACT^®carpal tunnel wrist brace CARP'IMMO™* stabilises the wrist in a neutral position in order to relieve the pressure on the median nerve.

During the day, you can wear a flexible wrist support brace to preserve wrist mobility while limiting microtraumas. You put CARP'ACTIV™ brace* on like a glove: light and comfortable, it accompanies and helps you correct your daily movements without restricting your range of motion!

If you want a day and night relief, EPITACT^® suggests a special offer that includes both the flexible and rigid wrist braces* at a lower price!

Which thumb brace for basal arthritis?

If your pain is more intense in the wrist and if gripping objects is difficult or impossible, it may be thumb arthritis. This is often the case when you inadvertently drop objects. The pain from thumb arthritis can be reduced thanks to an appropriate thumb brace. EPITACT^® offers two models.

The first brace* is rigid and designed for night use to limit joint pain. If you need your hand mobility, the second thumb brace for day* is flexible and designed to support and relieve the thumb without impeding movements.

As for its carpal tunnel wrist braces, EPITACT^® also suggests a duo offer combining the day and night thumb braces* for arthritis.

What about the price of a thumb or wrist 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 wrist or thumb 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, the French 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 thumb or wrist braces 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 solutions are class I medical devices that bear the CE marking under this regulation. Carefully read the instructions before use. Manufacturer: Millet Innovation. 04/2021