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Custom grips for paintbrushes?
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Message
Posted
Hi,
Has anyone had any success and/or experience with paintbrush grips for artists with problems like arthritis/weak hands? I'm asking about something that would help when I have a flare up of tendonitis in my fingers from time to time.
I'm not talking about pencil grips and the like for children, though I have tried these. Nor the kind of paintbrushes that are sold in places like The Range and are cheap and cheerful.
I like my paintbrushes (not cheap) and have scores of favourites that do the job well and am experimenting by pushing the handles through pieces of foam rubber but it's far from ideal.
There must be something on the market and, if not, I would be happy to see someone take up my suggestion and run with it.
Edited
by Cordelia Campbell
Posted
You are more sensible than I am, Norrette and when I want to finish a painting it can be difficult to stop but I do take an extended break. Arthritis must be a real pain and very challenging to deal with.
Perhaps I should have phrased it differently and said more on the lines of prevent a flare up. There are a number of solutions on websites like Etsy but nothing I've seen so far looks likely to accommodate paintbrushes of different sizes. There must be something out there (fingers and toes crossed) 😉
Posted
I have problems with both my hand and will be having surgery soon on my right hand , I don’t let it stop me from paint , I paint as exercise for my fingers. I spent time with specialist physiotherapists and occupational therapist who offers rubber tubing, foam padding and other thing but none worked for me . Then in desperation one evening I wrapped a putty rubber around the brush and moulded it to fit my needs ,worked really well, so off to the art shop and bout half a dozen cheap putty rubbers for my favourite brushes. The good thing is you can move it from brush to brush and remould to fit any brush but most importantly you can change the shapes if and when you need it . I suppose plasticine would work as well but I’ve not tried it. Nothing to lose but a few pounds trying it out , if you do I hope it work , I think I will still use it later as the brushes are more comfortable to hold, especially the very thin ones . It will take a bit of fiddling and practice to get it how your want it to feel .
Posted
Cordelia, most areas have a community Occupational therapist. Such a person could advise you on adaptations that might make tasks like holding small objects easier when you are afflicted by such things as arthritis. Even if nothing is available on the market, they often have the experience to come up with some very good ideas. I have arthritis in all my finger joints, middle joints and joints near my finger tips. I was given some sort of supportive gloves that help with a flare up and also some sort of supportive tubes to fit around the joints which are not as restrictive as a glove. You can hardly feel them but they help support the joints.
Posted
I have arthritis mainly in my feet (ex dancer), but I have fibromyalgia so am in some sort of chronic pain 24/7, somewhere in my body. I'm afraid if it's in my hands and arms I can't touch a brush or pen as the pain is to much. But I might have an idea that could be useful. Most good stationary shops sell foam back tape which you might wrap round at the depth that would be helpful. I've not tried this because the tape would hurt me with my condition. Also, but this could work out a bit expensive wrap Compede around your brushes. These are blister cushions. Obviously what Denise suggested would probably be the best option. I have noticed that eBay and Amazon sell all sorts of grippy things, but I would imagine you've looked.
Posted
Edited... sorry, thought my first try hadn't posted ...You are more sensible than I am, Norrette and when I want to finish a painting it can be difficult to stop but I do take an extended break. Arthritis must be a real pain and very challenging to deal with.
Perhaps I should have phrased it differently and said more on the lines of prevent a flare up. There are a number of solutions on websites like Etsy but nothing I've seen so far looks likely to accommodate paintbrushes of different sizes. There must be something out there (fingers and toes crossed) 😉
Edited
by Cordelia Campbell
Posted
I totally misunderstood your message. You get tendinitis and you want to prevent a flare. Most tendinitis wherever it occurs in the body, hands and fingers included is due to mainly overuse of said tendons. Obviously I would not presume to tell you what to do, but if it was me ( without my condition) I would stop when I felt the tendons were starting to get sore. Tendinitis is very similar to repetitive strain syndrome. What the others have suggested might offer support of the tendons, but inflamed tendons have to calm down by stopping doing what's causing the problem.
Posted
Thanks Paul, a putty rubber is worth a try. I hope your surgery is successful... I have a wrist support from OT but it's not much good for painting. If your surgery is for carpel tunnel I have heard it can be very successful.
Thanks Denise, I've not heard of community OT, maybe I could self refer and no doubt join a queue, it might be an option worth considering.
Thanks Julie, I didn't see anything online but will continue to look. I use blister plasters sometimes on a bunion, it could work. Also, there is a type of double sided foam sticky tape that might build up to a reasonable grip.
It's all a matter of trying and experimenting and being patient, which I am not but should be. 😵💫
Posted
I so agree Cordelia.its just not easy with a condition like tendinitis which comes and goes. I am 74 and I retired from classical ballet at 36, danced until I was 40, until achilles tendinitis (and age) brought an end to my career. Every now and again I still get tendinitis for no reason. It's a very frustrating condition for you, I truly sympathise and hope you find relief.
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