Many people mention that they have reduced hand skills and more hand pain when they have fibromyalgia. This includes skills such as handwriting, chopping vegetables, opening cans and using keys to open the door. It includes pain in the joints, nerves and muscles of the hand and wrist. Find out more from this summary on a study done into fibro and hand skills.
Fibromyalgia can affect your hand skills due to reduced fine motor and gross motor control, increased levels of pain and peripheral neuropathy. Fibromyalgia hand pain can arise from hand use or even when not using the hands.
Here I have summarised the results of some research done into the hand function of 40 patients with fibromyalgia.
The authors of this 2018 research acknowledged that fibromyalgia is a potentially debilitating chronic pain syndrome.
They aimed to compare the hand function of fibromyalgia (FM) patients and healthy individuals and to demonstrate the relationship between hand disability and FM.
Patients and methods
The study included 40 female patients with FM and 30 healthy people who did not have FM (control group).
- All participants were evaluated for pain threshold measurements, handgrip strength, and pinch strength.
- Functional states, hand disability, hand skills and coordination were evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) form, the Disability of Arm–Shoulder–Hand (DASH) questionnaire and the Purdue Pegboard Test, respectively.
- Handgrip strength values, DASH score, lateral pinch strength test, Pegboard placement time, and Pegboard collection time of the patient group were significantly lower than those of the control group.
- A negative correlation was found between FIQ score and handgrip strength, two-point pinch strength test, three-point pinch strength test, and lateral pinch strength test in patients with moderate FM.
- A correlation was observed between DASH score and handgrip strength, lateral pinch strength test, Purdue Pegboard placement time, and Purdue Pegboard collection time in patients with moderate FM.
The results show that hand function was decreased in patients with FM compared to the control group. Decreasing hand function was influenced by the FIQ score.
"As a result, the evaluation of hand function should be taken into consideration in the management of FM."
My experience
It certainly is true for me that I have many hand concerns. Scrapbooking and jewelry making used to be my hobbies but they require specific fine motor hands skills that I no longer have. I find chopping vegetables causes pain each and every day. Putting the key in the lock and turning it, to get in my front door, is difficult. Carrying shopping, in bags, causes wrist and hand pain the next day. Some days with fibromyalgia, even holding my cup of tea can hurt. I love sharing things online but some days my fingers just hurt too much when I type. I share all this so others will understand. What about you? Please share your experiences of fibromyalgia and how it affects your hand skills below and thank you to those who do.
It has definitely effected my hand skills. No strength to pick things up, unable to hold anything, deformed knuckles with swelling and trigger fingers...
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that fibromyalgia is affecting your hand skills, Glenys. Just another thing!
DeleteI feel that FM has a huge part of my hands not able to open jars or H2O bottles. We won't even mention pill bottles. It hurts to write due to pain & swelling. A DR of mine gave me great advice. I need to try it now to see if it helps me. I need help with my hands. Dealing with keys is a pain in my butt. FM is horrible!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to share here Mari. I would love to know what your doctor's advice regarding your hands was.
DeleteThis is really useful to see evidenced. I've been having trouble with my hands for a few years now. I used to do a lot of crafting, and was a cake decorator for a few years having to do a lot of fine motor skills work. I started getting very shaky hands and losing grip. I was also an exam invigilator for a few years and noticed that when I was scribing for candidates, I was struggling to hold the pen and my once beautiful handwriting became very messy as I struggled to form the letters. I had to give up my job party because of it. I have also noticed that if I ever have a good enough day to go shopping for myself, when I am at the checkout, I pick things up but my grip is so weak that instead of putting the things in the bag, they end up getting chucked all over the floor! Frustrating but it does give people a laugh! I hate that my hands don't work like they used to. I can't hold a book either as it causes too much pain. I love reading and have to use the Kindle app on my phone now and often put the phone on a tripod so i don't even need to hold that.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this article!
I am so happy that this article gave you some understanding of what is happening withe your hands when you have fibromyalgia. The things you describe have happened to me.
DeleteThanks so much for this. My hands haven't worked properly for years. I used to do a lot of crafting and cake decorating involving fine motor skills. I noticed that i was having more and more trouble controlling the tools, and my hands were getting very shaky. I also used to scribe for students in exams and began to notice that my once beautiful writing was becoming very messy as I struggled to form the letters. My writing has also slowed down a lot as I struggle to grip the pen (and the type of pen doesn't make much difference).
ReplyDeleteI love reading but can't hold a book so I have to use the Kindle app on my phone, with my phone attached to a tripod. (Thank goodness for technology!). Also, if I have a day where I can go shopping for myself, when I get to the checkout, instead of putting things in the bag, I end up chucking them all over the floor as my grip is so weak!
Thanks for sharing this study. It's great to be armed with some proof that it's not just me!
Thanks for reading the article Beckey and taking time to share your response. No, you are not crazy and it is not just you, many people mention these same hand symptoms when they have fibromyalgia.
DeleteI have definitely noticed my hand skills having been affected. Even now,my hands feel stiff and there is a dull ache in them. Gripping feels awkward and depending on what I am trying to pick up will sometimes hurt. Or many hand(s) go weak and I can't hold the object. I've noticed a difference in my handwriting too.
ReplyDeleteHi to you The Forgotten Muse and I'm glad you found my article and that it resonated with you. Sorry to hear you have fibromyalgia. I hope you could join us in our friendly private facebook group called FIBRO CONNECT where you can talk and get to know many others who have fibro https://www.facebook.com/groups/1953366574685173
ReplyDeleteAs a young child I had a weak ankle. Then in my early teens my right hand/wrist would hurt, sometimes for days. Spent most of my life in a bandage, drs could find no cause. (Got me out of p.e) now in my 60's diagnosed fibro 12 years ago. Often wonder if I've had it all my life. If young ones have "weak" joints, (drs diagnosis) perhaps it should be looked into further. Fave kitchen gadget, electric can opener! Thank you for putting this out there.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story and your tip for helping with weak hands. Many people say they think they have had fibromyalgia since they were a child. It is sad. wouldn't it be great if there was a simple, cheap test. I think I will be looking for an electic can opener! Why didn't I even think of that! Maybe it's the brain fog? Thanks Iiz
DeleteCan fibromyalgia affect your hand skills? Absolutely! I say this because I know all too well even before I read your post! My handwriting is now messy, typing hurts, hard to crochet, I easily drop cups and glasses (have to use two hands now), etc. I really like your site, Lee! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 67. Please, feel free to add more entries. Shared onto Fb, Pn, and Tw!!
ReplyDeleteYour hand skills sound exactly the same as mine! I tried to shuffle a pack of cards the other day and looked like a 4 year old!
DeleteCONGRATS! Your post is FEATURED at the Unlimited Link Party 68!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Dee, much appreciated. you run great link ups at Grammy's Grid
DeleteThis article resonates with me so much. Since been diagnosed with FM 5yrs ago I've always had issues with my hands. I still push through though and continue about my business, I refuse to give into the illness. Good to come across an article about the hand specifically. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to comment and sorry about the deteriorating hand skills and fibromyalgia.
DeleteMy hands get swollen and hurt a lot. It hurts to write. Cold water also hurt my hands. I not only have fibromyalgia but Aldo Raynauds. I hope you are in less pain soon.
DeleteI’ve wondered for a few years now if Fibro could be what’s aiding in my hands causing me problems, now I know it definitely is! But in addition to the Fibro, I have CRPS, and I noticed I was losing strength in my hands, it has even caused the loss of muscle tone in between my thumb and index fingers like you see in people with Carpal Tunnel syndrome. After addressing it with my doctor, he ordered a nerve conduction test, it revealed I don’t have Carpal Tunnel but it did reveal there’s severe nerve damage so they are saying it’s due to the CRPS. Now I’m seriously wondering if it’s due partly to the Fibro as well. It got seriously worse within a year and that was a few years ago now and it’s steadily getting worse. I have had to get a electric can opener, one of those gripy things to help open jars, water bottles etc or I have to ask for help. I drop things all the time and trying to craft or shuffle cards with my gbabies is a major challenge, so discouraging to say the least! Thank you so much for sharing this information, now I know it’s not just something going on in my head!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are going through this. Neuropathy also makes our muscles & nerves weaker in our hands and feet. We take our hands for granted. We now realize that when we are in pain or dropping things. It's difficult but keep fighting and working on possibly getting OT to help (occupational therapy). That OT helps me.
ReplyDelete