On The Other Hand Therapy

02/05/2026

This past weekend, I had the joy of watching Natalie step into an upper limb difference space that has meant so much to me since my graduate school years. 🩷
Natalie is a newly-minted occupational therapist (OT) with a congenital upper limb difference, and as a student she was part of the OT practice group I co-lead. Seeing her share her voice, her clinical thinking, and her lived experience, and be welcomed so fully at the Helping Hands Foundation Winter Outing, was incredibly heartwarming.
One of the joys of this work is helping create pathways for the next generation of clinicians with lived experience.
Grateful for mentorship, collaboration, and communities that prioritize welcoming new voices. 🩵
Video shared with permission.

01/31/2026

Starting this month, I’m sharing a gentle reflection prompt for parents raising children with disabilities. 🩵

Parenting in this community can be beautiful and complicated. These questions are here to help you notice what’s going well, for your child and for you.

✨ This month’s reflection prompt: What has surprised you about raising your child?

Share here if you’d like, or keep it private. There’s no right way to participate.

Thank you to:
🩷 intern Cali for her contribution to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

01/27/2026

That’s a wrap on the “5 Habits to Reduce Overuse Syndrome” series! 🎉

These habits are about protecting bodies that work harder, so children and adults with upper limb differences can keep doing what they love.

This series is designed for families, educators, coaches, and practitioners who want practical, supportive ways to build strength, balance, and rest into everyday life.

You don’t have to do all of this at once; these are habits you can return to, layer in slowly, and adapt as needs change.

If you want everything in one place, I created a free, printable handout with all five habits
👉 download the free “5 Habits” handout here: https://ontheotherhand.org/5-habits-to-reduce-overuse-risk-for-children-with-upper-limb-differences/

This content is intended for general education only and does not replace individualized medical or therapeutic guidance. Every child’s body and needs are different. If you have specific concerns, consult your child’s healthcare or therapy provider.

01/25/2026

Strong arms need a strong foundation 💪

Core strength and two-sided power protect the back, shoulders, neck, arm(s), and hand(s), especially for children who rely heavily on one side

Focus on playful movement, technique, and progressing slowly

🩵 Save or share this post with a family or provider

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, and Cali for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

01/23/2026

Using tools can help bodies work smarter 🧠💪 not harder

Adaptation is part of life, and when tools are used together as a family, children aren’t singled out

Tools can help with stabilizing objects, reducing grip strain, and supporting two-sided use

To see the entire post, look here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT3ex9Ck8hw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
🗓️ Stay posted for Day 5’s post!
👉 Free tech + daily habits handouts
🏷️ EazyHold silicone straps help with grasp: use code ontheotherhand15 for 15% off on eazyhold.com
(note: as an “affiliate” for EazyHold, I receive a small commission on sales)

🩵 Save or share this post with a family or provider

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, and Cali for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

01/22/2026

Posture matters for all children, and especially for children who work harder with one side of their body

Strong posture supports efficient movement, protects joints, and reduces long-term strain 💪

And yes, this benefits the whole family

See the post on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT3ex9Ck8hw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
🗓️ Stay posted for Day 4’s post!

🩵 Save or share this post with a family or provider

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, and Cali for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

01/21/2026

Many of us learned the “no pain, no gain” mantra, but this may not be best for children with limb differences

For our children, learning to rest before pain starts is a critical body-care skill

Learning to listen to our bodies develops over years. Our role as adults; model & teach that rest is part of life

Let’s teach some new mottos:
💪 “smart bodies do, rest, & stretch”
💪 “work smarter, not harder”

🩵 We can model this every day

🗓️ Stay posted for Day 3’s post!
👉 Free “5 Daily Habits” handout 🔗 link:

Save or share this post with a family or provider who might need it

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, and Cali for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

Five simple, family-friendly habits that help children with upper limb differences reduce overuse risk and support strong, balanced bodies

01/20/2026

Children with one-sided upper limb differences often rely heavily on the unaffected side of their body

Over time, that extra work adds up

Encouraging two-sided use, with play, daily tasks, and sports, helps build balance and protect growing bodies 💪

Small habits now can make a big difference later

🗓️ Stay posted for Day 2’s post!
👉 Free “5 Daily Habits” handout: https://ontheotherhand.org/5-habits-to-reduce-overuse-risk-for-children-with-upper-limb-differences/

This content is intended for general education only and does not replace individualized medical or therapeutic guidance. Every child’s body and needs are different. If you have specific concerns, consult your child’s healthcare or therapy provider.

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, Cali, and Ava for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

01/15/2026

Before we talk about how to help children with upper limb differences reduce overuse syndrome risk, we need to talk about how to talk about it 💬

This post shares simple, age-appropriate ways to introduce body care in a calm, positive way, and how to make it a whole-family practice so your child doesn’t feel singled out 😌

Overuse prevention shouldn’t feel heavy. It can be part of everyday life. For young children, body care works best when it’s routine, not something they have to decide in the moment.

This series is for:
🩵 parents raising children with upper limb differences
🩵 teens and adults beginning to notice strain
🩵 practitioners who want clearer frameworks for education

As always, your questions and experiences help shape what I share next. Drop them in the comments!

Thank you to:
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, Keleigh, and Cali for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful review
🩷 the many creators and organizations promoting limb difference education and advocacy

Follow On The Other Hand Therapy



Lucky Fin Project

01/13/2026

What is overuse syndrome for people with upper limb differences (ULD)?

This post kicks off a long-form series about an issue affecting the ULD community far more often, and much earlier, than anyone knew

This series is for:
🩵 parents of little ones with upper limb differences
🩵 adults beginning to notice early signs of overuse
🩵 practitioners supporting this community

Please drop your questions about overuse syndrome in the comments. I want to hear what you’re wondering about!

Thank you to:
🩷 upper limb different researcher Dr. Amber Jenkins for her study on OS in our community! (article source below)
🩷 interns Amanda, Cassie, and Keleigh for their contributions to this series
🩷 for thoughtful feedback
🩷 limb difference organizations & creators sharing awareness & resources

For more posts in this series and related blog content, follow On The Other Hand Therapy and visit ontheotherhand.org (link in bio)

Reference: Jenkins, A. (2025) Understanding Musculoskeletal Concerns of Adults with Congenital Upper Limb Differences: Prevalence, Impact on Function and Treatment. Journal of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Treatment, 11(2), 1-7.

Supporting limb different bodies and families 💪

01/09/2026

Stretch of the Day 🦋 Butterfly Wings
This stretch is great for children and grown-ups to open, relax, and wake up the shoulders and arms
🩵 No equipment needed
🩵 Sit or stand with your arms or nubs reaching forward
🩵 Rotate your torso and arm to one side to “spread” that wing
🩵 Using the other arm or nub, trace the arm to your shoulder
🩵 Return to the middle and switch sides
🩵 Move at a comfortable pace while breathing
🩵 The movement should feel gentle but energizing
🩵 Easily adapted for different bodies and ages
Parents & caregivers — try this alongside your child using music if you choose!
Here are playful cues to make it fun:
🩷 “You’re a butterfly spreading (or drying out) your wings”
🩷 “Let’s put lotion on our arms”
Adapt as needed: If reaching across the body isn’t accessible, focus on the twist and shoulder opening. Trace along your upper arm, shoulder, or chest instead. The goal is gentle movement and body awareness, not how far you reach.
Image description:
Laura sits on a chair with both arms extended in front. As she moves one arm outward away from her body, she traces along the inside of that arm with her other hand and then returning to midline switches arms. She gently turns her head to follow the movement as she extends each arm further away from her body, watching the movement of each arm.
🩷 Follow along for more stretches and ULD-informed tips
This is general education, not individualized medical advice. Please check with your/your child’s provider if you’re unsure what’s best for your body.
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Supporting limb different bodies and families 💪

01/06/2026

This message is for parents raising children with disabilities, and limb differences in particular.
You don’t have to know everything about your child's disability from the start to be a good parent to your child.
Of course it's wonderful to keep learning and gaining understanding about your child's disability, and you will do that over the course of your child’s entire life. But it’s also super important to take breaks, to give yourself time and space to learn and grow.
Every parent looks back and wishes they’d known something sooner. Not just parents of children with disabilities — every parent. That’s simply part of parenting.
I'm excited to share more educational content with you this year, but I want it to feel supportive and sustainable. Here's your permission to take it in at whatever pace is right for you.
I'll be here when you're ready. 🩷