An inflammatory disease of the joints is arthritis. The swelling and discomfort associated with this illness, also known as joint inflammation, can cause pain when performing routine duties like food preparation. Along with taking the painkillers your doctor has given, good eating (particularly anti-inflammatory foods) and frequent hand exercises, yoga, stretching, tai chi, and other forms of mobility may assist. And happily, there are lots of tools and gadgets on the market today that might be useful when it comes to cooking.
According to the CDC, 58.5 million persons in the US, or close to 25% of the population, are thought to have arthritis.
The most frequent reason for persistent hand or wrist pain is arthritis. One of the most prevalent types is osteoarthritis, which weakens the cartilage that cushions the bones in the hands and prevents them from rubbing against one another, according to Jacob Hascalovici, MD, Ph.D., chief medical officer of Clearing and a pain expert located in New York City. Another prevalent form is rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory condition that causes inflammation in the linings of the joints of the hands. Due to the frequent use of our hands when cooking, arthritis can be a great hardship, making it occasionally difficult to stir, cut meat or vegetables, open cans or jars, use spices, or knead bread, for example.
For people with hand arthritis, Hascalovici claims that using mixers, food processors, blenders, and even sharp knives can eliminate or significantly reduce many of the aches and symptoms associated with kitchen activity. Some arthritis sufferers use food processors, mandolins, or ulu knives to chop their meals. The strain of frequent stirring can be lessened by using a standing mixer, the author writes, adding that you should opt for kitchen tools with big buttons, comfortable handles, and easy-to-use padding.
Use a sharpening while using knives, but be very careful not to cut yourself. Also, keep a first-aid kit close at hand in case this does occur. “Rubber ring grips, electric can openers, or manually releasing air from a jar lid’s seal by tapping the lid with the end of a butter knife can all aid with opening jars.”
WHAT TO THINK ABOUT
Hascalovici advises taking a quick inventory of your kitchen workspace before you begin cooking to see if you can improve your setup or gather specialized prep materials. Implement wise tactics: “Can you, for instance, cut a bunch of vegetables at once and freeze them for later use on relatively pain-free days? If you need to aid some suffering hands when performing cooking activities, might you put a basin of warm water or paraffin nearby?” he says. Lifting large pots or skillets, overworking yourself (or your hands), using dull knives, and failing to prepare ahead of time on how to handle any aches or pains that develop are things you should generally avoid.
For people who experience joint pain in their hands or wrists due to arthritis, we’ve compiled a list of fantastic culinary gadgets and tools. These might be your next go-to items for pain-free prepping; after all, tools are there to make daily living easier.
1 a single Good Grips swivel peeler
This tool is a blessing for all your peeling needs, from the cushioned handle to the sharp, sharpened stainless steel blade, and the cushioned handle doesn’t slosh around even when your hands are wet.
In case you didn’t know, a gerontologist and arthritic patient provided input and feedback during the development of the original line of OXO Good Grips tools with the goal of improving everyday kitchen tasks through thoughtfully-designed tools with soft, comfortable handles for relieving discomfort.
The initial set of 15 OXO tools, which included this best-selling swivel peeler on Amazon, were so beneficial to those experiencing arthritic pain that the Tylenol/Arthritis Foundation design prize was given to them in 1990. The company now bases its design on instruments that improve daily chores for hands of all shapes and sizes.
You may note as you go through the rest of this list that the BestProducts.com staff considers several of their items to be best in class.
2 Bottle Openers for Soda and Water
It can be difficult to open bottles when your hands are sore if you have arthritis. With little effort, you can twist off bottle caps thanks to the ergonomic opener’s assistance for hands with limited strength. Back to preparing that seltzer drink for five o’clock now.
3 Solid Hands Opener for Jars with Base Pad
Anyone (pass the Herculean strength, please), but especially those with arthritis, may find it difficult to open a jar. This is why we like the jar opener’s contoured, non-slip grip and base pad, which firmly grasp jars and lids so they can be opened with a single turn of the handle.
The soft handle cushions don’t require a lot of hand pressure to operate, and we love how well the stainless steel teeth grasp the lid. Bonus: The base cushion stabilizes bottles to make opening them easier.
4 Butter Spreaders in Stainless Steel
It need not be difficult to spread butter evenly. Your bread won’t fall apart with this well regarded butter spreader, and you’ll get a lovely, even distribution. You could also discover that this lightweight butter spread is more comfortable to use than a typical butter knife because to its ergonomic shape.
5 10 pieces in the Good Grips Prep and Go Set
Having to deal with Tupperware that won’t close is annoying, arthritis or not. See this leakproof, dishwasher-safe, freezer-safe, odor- and stain-resistant set of food containers from Amazon’s Choice.
These containers, which are great for leftovers or meal preparation, stack neatly to take up less space in your fridge or cupboards. A 20-piece set is also available.
6 Good Grips Salad Spinners in Glass
This salad spinner, one of OXO’s more recent inventions, greatly improves the drying of greens and herbs. You can access nicely washed and dried salad victuals with just a short press of the gentle, non-slip knob on top. The innovative built-in brake button stops the spinner almost immediately when you’re finished, and the nonslip base prevents skidding. There are no longer any laborious cranks or pull-strings that are rough on your hands.
After you’ve finished spinning, remove your greens and/or herbs from the colander and place them in the provided glass bowl for a lovely presentation.
P.S. You can use the rotating basket as a great colander for spaghetti, beans, and other things.
7 Alaskan Ulu
An Ulu knife can be a fantastic option for folks who have arthritis, as Hascalovici stated (or anyone who does a lot of chopping in the kitchen and suffers from hand pain).
It is said that using these so-called rocker knives will improve your dexterity and leverage, making difficult activities like chopping nuts or slicing hard cheese less painful. We particularly appreciate the ease with which this knife can be sharpened using a knife sharpener and the length of time it may go between sharpenings.
8 Good grips garlic presses
You won’t have to worry every time a recipe calls for minced garlic! die-cast zinc structure that is robust? Check. Garlic chamber with a large capacity? Check.
With only a squeeze, the Good Grips Garlic Press easily crushes garlic; you can stop hunching over a cutting board and using a knife. We appreciate that the built-in cleaner spares you the trouble of having to carefully clean it after each use in addition to the nonslip, comfortable rubber handles absorbing pressure from your hands.
9 10 Good Hands Can opener with a smooth edge
Looking for a can opener? This manual can opener from OXO, which is a customer favorite, is a success. You can open cans more quickly and without creating any sharp edges on the can or lid by using an oversized side wind mechanism with a soft-grip knob. In order to avoid getting tomato paste or bean juice on your hands, lid pliers are also useful for touch-free removal.
10 Gloves for arthritis storage
These gloves, which have received more than 43,000 ratings and countless five-star reviews, aid in relieving hand pain of all kinds, regardless of whether you have tendonitis or arthritis. The flexible, moisture-wicking, copper-infused compression gloves are excellent for adding extra support while you write, cook (especially with a knife), or simply go about your day. These four-way stretch gloves can also be worn overnight to help your hands recover while you sleep.
Contents
Leave a Reply