jmatsu's Full Review: Handeze Therapeutic Support Glove Medium
I've been using the Handeze Therapeutic Support Glove for about 14 years off and on. It supports my wrist and I believe it helps minimize my chances of getting carpal tunnel syndrome.
What Is It?
The Handeze Therapeutic Support Glove is a stretchy fingerless glove made out of a lightweight lycra. The company calls it "Med-A-Likra" and it's supposed to massage and support your hand while holding in warmth to keep your muscles and tendons warm and relaxed.
The glove goes partway up your thumb and covers your entire palm and the back of your hand, but leaves most of your thumb and all of your fingers uncovered. There is a narrow strip of lycra between your index and middle finger and another between your ring and pinkie. This leaves your fingers completely free, while the glove snugly covers your palm and the area between your thumb and index finger. There is a wide band of thicker lycra that encircles your wrist and tends to inhibit your wrist from bending.
According to the website, the gloves are "doctor recommended and user proven to reduce pain resulting from strain, stress, cramping, swelling and pain from the fingers, hands and wrists while performing continuous or repetitive motion activities."
It comes in sizes 2(XS), 3(S), 4(M), 5(L), 6(XL). It's easiest to find in beige, though I've also seen it in black and blue and black. It looks like it can be worn on either the right or left hand (but I'm right handed, so I've worn it only on the right).
(Handeze also makes a glove that's supposed to help with arthritis and rheumatism, but I've never tried it.)
Does It Work?
It helped me. I strained my wrist shortly before I started using it many years ago. I do a lot of computer work and back then I ended up having to modify a lot of graphic files that caused me to do lot of repetitive mousework (doubleclick, drag, click, drag, click, click, repeat) for several hours, on top of all the mousework that I normally do. My wrist started bothering me and each day it got worse. My wrist started aching so much I had trouble sleeping.
Fortunately, I happened to go into a fabric/craft store where all the cashiers were wearing this new glove. They claimed it helped them as they keyed in things on the cash register and cut through fabric with scissors. I decided to give it a try.
I took it home and tried it on. The glove was snug and a little stiff. It was hard to hold a pen and write with it, but easy to maneuver a mouse. The glove tended to keep my wrist straight (which is a good thing in preventing carpal tunnel syndrome). When I read what the packaging said about the Med-A-Likra soothing tendons, I decided to wear the glove overnight. It helped with the pain. I don't recall if my wrist was completely better the next day or if it took several days, but my wrist did get better soon after even though I continued to do a lot of computer work. After that I tended to wear the glove whenever I used the computer--especially if I was doing a lot of repetitive mousework.
(It's possible that back then a few ibuprofen would have also helped my sore wrist--but I didn't think to take any.)
I don't spend as many hours at the computer as I used to--and now I tend to do more keyboard than mouse, so I don't use the glove as often as before. It can get grubby and tatty--I used to wear it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. (I could wash it by hand, but I tend to put it in a lingerie bag and through the washing machine). Also, the connecting strip between the ring finger and pinkie is a weak point and tends to be the first part to give way, but it takes awhile and even with that torn I still wear the glove. The other bit between the index and middle finger gives way next, but I still wear it for a long time. For me, the important parts are the wrist support and the way it wraps around and supports the ball of the thumb.
As you wear the glove, it will relax over time (like any bit of stretchy clothing). When I'm wearing an older, worn glove I don't have any trouble writing with it on.
Final Recommendation
I'm giving this 4 stars because I don't know that it's something that every computer user needs to have (plus it's not that attractive--though I do like the black and blue ones). However, if you are concerned about carpal tunnel syndrome or do a lot of repetitive hand motion, you should consider giving it a try.
If you do buy one, be sure to get a glove that fits. A new glove will feel snug and a little stiff, but should still be comfortable. If it feels uncomfortably tight around your wrist or palm, then it's too small. On the back of the packaging they used to have a size chart (I'm not sure if they still do)--so I would check it before you buy the glove.
I've seen people wear some other bulky wrist braces that look about as comfortable as a cast. Instead of those, I would try this.
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