By Beth on Monday, June 05, 2000 - 06:06 pm:

I injured myself again. I now an dealing with achillies tendonitis,plantarphaciaitis(sp),
and heal spur/s. I went to a podiatrist and he actually knew what HMS was! He also said
that I was probably a good candidate for braces. I am not sure what kind he ment but he was
impressed with the mobility in my feet. I am doing therapy and it seems to help.

Hugs all
Beth

By Gwen on Monday, June 05, 2000 - 06:06 pm:

Beth, congratulations on finding a savvy specialist. I hope you gave him fulsome praise! Have you thought of asking him if he knows of any doctors etc who are clued
up about EDS/HMS?

By jane grant on Sunday, October 01, 2000 - 11:46 am:

Dont know if this helps but my physio recommended neoprene supports as per the type worn by sportsmwn & I find I feel much safer now.

By Gwen on Sunday, October 01, 2000 - 04:14 pm:

Where would we be without joint braces! I have a pair of wrist braces that are simply wide pieces of elastic with a loop at one end for my thumb and velcro closures. They wind around my wrists and give excellent support when I need it. I also use my wheat bag as a neck brace if I'm sitting for any length of time. Just wind it around my neck and fasten with a nappy pin! What I haven't yet worked out is how to brace my shoulders. Any suggestions?

By Kimberly on Monday, October 02, 2000 - 07:42 pm:

Hi Gwen, I don't remember if you’re married or not. If not you will need a good friend to help you tape your shoulder the way I do. First you need some good strapping tape. Start by having someone lift the injured armpit straight up. Then tape from the upper center of your back to your shoulder while it's being lifted. Use two pieces of tape here overlap them. Then put your hand behind your head and bend it backward slightly. Tape from your shoulder to your lower center of your back. Again use two pieces of tape. This helps me. I hope it does the same for you.
Kimberly

By Rachel Montesion on Tuesday, October 03, 2000 - 10:56 am:

HI Gwen,
New to message board but not to EDS, I have had shoulder trouble for many yrs. I have had an AC jiont reduction, disloated as always. There are some excersise ya can do to help strenthin your shoulder, I suffer from impigment now an I can lift a 3pound weight to help. you start by placeing hand on a table take weight an leave elbow on table, pick weight up only about 8 inches an bring it back down so you only strethin tendons ect without streching them. Kim right about taping to, good luck....... Rachel

By Gwen on Wednesday, October 04, 2000 - 09:21 pm:

Thanks folks for suggestions re shoulders. Guess what my husband will be doing this weekend! I assume that strapping can be left on while showering. Will have a go with the exercises too. I use light weights to work out so these should be OK. Will let you know how things go.

By Kimberly on Thursday, October 05, 2000 - 12:28 pm:

Gwen, if you use the correct type of strapping it shoulds last 3 days. Make sure you prep your skin before you put on the tape.
Good luck
Kimberly

By Kimberly on Sunday, October 08, 2000 - 01:55 pm:

Gwen, did you tap-up this weekend?? How does it feel?? If you need help on other taping technics I might be able to help. Right now I'm learning a new way to tape my hip to releave my SI pain. I'll share if you want to know more.
Take care,
Kimberly

By Liz on Tuesday, October 10, 2000 - 07:52 am:

Kimberly:

Could you please explain to me how to properly tape my hips. Also I am trying ti-chi(wrong spelling) but I put out a couple vertabra and ribs and they won't go back in complelety so its pretty painful right now. Do you know how to tape your shoulder, ankles and knees as well?

Thanks,
Liz

By Kimberly on Tuesday, October 10, 2000 - 11:57 am:

Hey Liz, I find out today at P.T. on how to tape my hips and ribs. I'll let you know tomorrow. I only know how to tape my knees, ankles and shoulders.
I'm glad I can help
Kimberly

By Gwen on Thursday, October 12, 2000 - 01:36 pm:

Hi Kimberley, I wrote you a message but it doesn't seem to have got posted. Must be wafting in cyberspace. Hubby never got back for weekend so I went along to our local physio and got him to do it. He didn't position the tape the way you suggested.
What he did was have me raise my lower arm and slightly externally rotate the shoulder. Then he put several strips of tape from about halfway along the top of my shoulder blade going straight down to just above my elbow. A couple of crosswise strips where the taping ended and warnings about possible allergy (which hasn't occurred after four days so guess I'm fairly safe)
The relief has been great. I'm still getting the ulnar nerve numbness at night but I think that's coming from my neck and see an orthopod about it in a couple of weeks.
The weather here has been appalling the last couple of days so I haven't had a chance to test the shoulder when I go riding but going by the way it holds together don't think it will present a problem.

By Kimberly on Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:50 pm:

Hey Liz sorry I haven't gotten back to you on the taping. My P.T. is gather together a bunch of taping techniques for me to share, so when she gives them to me I will post them.
Kimberly

By Diane on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 10:51 am:

My 7-yr old son has hips, knees, shoulders, ... that dislocate. His docoter said he has loose joints but is being tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis. He's been having hip pain when he runs laps at school. His doctor has not mentioned treatment or what he should or shouldn't do. Are there ways to brace a child's joints?

By kimberly on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 10:47 pm:

Diane, go to a physical therapist they can show you how to tape your son

By Sharon on Saturday, February 10, 2001 - 05:11 pm:

I wish that I could use tape but I am allergic to ALL strapping tapes even the hypoallergenic ones so taping is out for me. I wish that Ic ould as it would be less expensive than buying all of the braces that I have I have a wrist splint, 2 knee braces, 2 ankle braces, a foot drop splint, 2 slings, a shoulder brace and thermoskin shoulder support and a thermoskin hip support and miles and miles of bandages and tubigrip.
Sharon :-)

By Rose on Sunday, May 06, 2001 - 07:09 am:

My 10 year old son has permanently dislocted shoulders due to EDS 3. What sort of braces has anyone got. He has one, but it is not very good. It is the sort people usually have for a fractured arm. Any suggestions?

By louise on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 04:45 am:

I'm not even sure if i should be on this forum, but reading some of these messages rings a few bells with me. I was born with weak ankles- my mum was offered the chance for me to have these corrected with ankle braces. She declined as they would have looked ugly. This doesn't bother me as i have a cool party trick and am used to all the jokes about my feet turning inwards. I do however sometimes suffer from sharp pains in my ankles when i walk. But before today i didn't even know what the medical term for this condition was and how severe it could be.

By Sharon on Sunday, May 20, 2001 - 05:43 pm:

Rose,
For my shoulder I use a Highland Shoulder Sling, i think it is made by Orthomerica ? but it helps, it is the type for people who dislocate shoulders a lot and also for stroke people who lose muscle control of shoulders. It has a sling part that fits under the elbow and attaches to the shoulder brace, which allows movement of rest of arm with shoulder mobility limited. Hope this helps
Sharon