On The Other Hand Therapy, Columbus, OH (2025)

12/18/2025

upper body strengthening tools for upper limb differences 🩷💪🩵
These are the tools I actually use in my own gym + home workouts with a partial hand
Adaptive strengthening is about finding tools and setups to strengthen both sides as equally as possible
Every body is different, so figuring out what works for your anatomy may involve experimentation and creativity!
This strengthening routine helps reduce the impact of overuse syndrome
💪 Product links in bio
This reel is for educational purposes only, not medical advice

12/16/2025

One thing I’ve been reflecting on this year is how much my work, and my capacity to do it, has been made possible by steady, behind-the-scenes support.

My husband of 25 years has deeply supported me, not just emotionally, but through steady presence and partnership in the everyday moments that make long-term work and growth possible:
🩵 encouragement
🩵 patient listening
🩵 problem-solving alongside me when things feel hard or uncertain
🩵 understanding my desire to contribute meaningfully to my community

I know many parents raising children with limb differences wonder what adulthood will look like. They wonder whether their child will be supported, chosen, and able to build a life with people who truly see them.

This post isn’t a promise or a blueprint. It’s simply a reminder that supportive, meaningful partnership exist and that interdependence, not independence, is what sustains most of us over time. 🩷

None of us do meaningful work alone 💡

12/12/2025

Stretch of the day 🩷
A soothing foam-roller chest + upper back release to help your shoulders stay open, balanced, and moving well — especially supportive for upper limb different adults & children 💪
This one feels instantly good. It’s an easy and relaxing way to melt tension along the chest, spine, and shoulders.

🩵 Equipment needed: a foam roller (recommended) or rolled-up blanket (less good)
🩵 Great for adults, teens, & children
🩵 Place the roller perpendicular to your back, just under the chest
🩵 Slowly roll up and down the upper back while keeping your head supported
🩵 Start with 10–20 seconds; build up to 20–30 seconds
🩵 To make it gentler: keep your hips on the floor
🩵 To deepen the release: lift your hips slightly or pause over tight spots
Parents & caregivers — try doing this alongside your child!
Here are playful cues to make it fun:
🩷 “You're a steamroller smooshing the ground!”
🩷 “Time to flatten the cookie batter!"
🩷 “Roll like a giant ocean wave!”
🩷 “Shine your heart toward the sky and feel the sun warming you up!”
Image description:
Laura lies on a foam roller placed perpendicular to her upper back, just beneath the chest. She gently lifts her hips and rolls up and down the upper back, opening the chest and releasing tension through the shoulders.
👉 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.

12/10/2025

upper body strengthening tools for upper limb difference 🩷💪🩵

So many of you have asked about the strengthening tools I use with my partial hand. Here are the actual tools I reach for regularly in my own workouts at both home and gym

Every body is unique, so you may need to test or modify tools to fit your (or your child’s) anatomy. I’ll share a separate post in January all about how I customize almost everything I buy.

Save this post if you’re creating a home exercise setup, preparing for the winter “stuck indoors” season, or looking for practical gifts for someone with an upper limb difference

If there’s a product you love, please share it in the comments — your recommendations help the whole community! 🩷

Please note: this post is educational only and not medical advice. Always check with a healthcare provider before starting new exercise routines.

Transparency: I do not receive commissions or kick backs for the products in this post. Occasionally companies send me free products to try 🙂

Access the links for these products: https://ontheotherhand.org/upper-body-strengthening-tools-for-upper-limb-difference/ 🩵

Follow for ULD education + overuse prevention resources

Many thanks to:
- & & for their help
- all of the limb difference organizations and individuals sharing limb difference resources and information!

Lucky Fin Project LimbBo Foundation - Official Limb Difference Community Page

12/02/2025

Limb different toys & dolls — 2025 update 🧸

So excited to share the many fabulous toy & doll options available — perfect for the young and young at heart! 🩵

Growing up with a partial hand, I never had a toy with a limb difference like mine. I can only imagine how much my 5 year old self would have loved one of these!

Full website post with product info: https://ontheotherhand.org/limb-different-toys-matter/

Transparency: I do not receive commissions or kick backs for toy recommendations. Occasionally companies send me free products — like , who sent me the Dougie plushie! 🩷

If you’d like more limb difference content, please follow!

Many thanks to:
- for sharing the photo of her son Max with his Doll Like Me
- for sharing the photo of her son Cade with his Budsies doll
- & and for their help
- all of the limb difference organizations who have contributed to kickstarter campaigns for toy companies!

Content creation takes a lot of time and effort; if you have the means to support my work, please consider a monthly Patreon donation: rebrand.ly/568b85

Note: There are other toys with different body parts, too, such as Reindeer in Here (Blizz has one smaller antler)

Parents — if you’re willing to share a photo of your child loving their limb different stuffy or toy for my website, please message me!

Lucky Fin Project LimbBo Foundation - Official Limb Difference Community Page The Helping Hand Project Helping Hands Foundation The Doll For All Reach Charity UK Mayana & Friends Budsies A Doll Like Me Disney A Step Ahead Prosthetics Kikilishop - Personalized Gifts for all Warrior Kids LEGO

11/30/2025

OT-approved zipper hack dressing with a hand difference ✨🩷
Add a 20mm split keyring to your zipper = easier pulls + a zipper that stays UP 👍
Image Description:
A close-up video of a hand demonstrating a simple one-handed zipper hack on a pair of pants. A small stainless steel split keyring is attached to the zipper pull. The person uses one typical hand to pull the zipper up by gripping the keyring. Next, they loop the keyring over the button at the top of the pants. Finally, they push the button through the buttonhole with one hand, securing the keyring in place so the zipper stays up.

11/28/2025

Shoulder Opener of the Day 🩷

A quick & gentle foam-roller stretch to keep your shoulders open, balanced, and moving well — especially helpful for upper limb different adults and children 💪

If you don't have a foam roller, you can use a rolled up towel. You might have time to add a roller to your order!

If you are a parent or caregiver, do this stretch with your child if you can

🧠 here's how you can turn it into imaginative play: paint the wall with a paint roller, flatten pizza dough on the wall, or put flower or bug decals on a mirror and flatten (or draw them on the mirror with whiteboard markers, but test first!)! 🫟

Many thanks to Dr. Mattie Betts of for helping me to adapt exercises 🩵

Image description: Laura is standing at a mirror with her arms bent and resting on a foam roller at chest height; she glides the roller up and down the mirror, stretching arms overhead

The Helping Hand Project Lucky Fin Project Limb Kind Foundation

11/26/2025

Exploring upper limb difference mittens and gloves Part 2! ❄️

Excited to show you mimiTENS mitten options and how they work for our community ❄️🧤

Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving 🍂

11/26/2025

Follow up from my recent post about mitten and glove options for upper limb differences 🧤❄️!

Stay tuned for more info about mittens, adaptive stretchy knit gloves, and home made "mitts" 🩷

Note: due to overwhelming demand, Knit for a unique fit! ™️has paused new mitten requests, but don't hesitate to check if there's a knitting group in the community where you live
Stay tuned for more info about mittens, adaptive stretchy knit gloves, and home made "mitts"

Feel free to share your or your child's favorites below 👇

11/19/2025

Customized mitten options for upper limb differences 🧤

It's getting cold where I live. It's mitten weather!

Growing up with a partial hand, I never had mittens or gloves that fit, felt good, and actually stayed on — adaptive options basically didn’t exist.

So in middle school (yep! 🤦🏻‍♀️) I stuffed cotton balls into the empty glove fingers so they wouldn’t flop around. It helped … but also made my “fingers” look weirdly stiff and straight. Not ideal, especially when a classmate found them and was super confused 😂

I’m so grateful for the creative people who have helped expand adaptive winter gear for our community:

🩷 Rena Rosen of Knit for a unique fit! ™️ for creating a movement of kindness connecting knitters to people with upper limb differences to create hand crafted personalized mittens

🩷 Anna-Maria Mountfort of mimiTENS for designing beautiful adaptive mittens and supporting the limb difference community through engagement + donations

🩷 Joselyn for sharing her video of adapting stretchy knit gloves for her hand

🩷 Mandy Pursely of Be the Spark Cosplay for sewing and giving out hundreds of custom mitts at Helping Hands Foundation Winter Outings (her photo is on slide 4!)

Swipe through for four great options at different price points for children and adults with partial hands and partial arms.

Have another favorite? Drop it in the comments so families can find even more solutions 🩵

Clinicians, please share these options with your families!

Huge thank yous to adaptive tech intern Kamsi, marketing intern Amanda, and and .greentree for helping with this post!

Lucky Fin Project Helping Hands (Symbrachydactyly) Hands4OT Reach Charity UK LimbBo Foundation - Official Limb Difference Community Page

11/12/2025

After presenting a poster at the American Occupational Therapy Association ( ) conference earlier this year with colleagues Jerelyne Idica, Amber Jenkins, and Sarah Tuberty — three incredible occupational therapists who also have upper limb differences — it was a privilege to bring our work home to my state OT conference.

Sharing this research locally opened new doors for collaboration and sparked meaningful conversations about how we can better support people with upper limb differences across the lifespan.

What struck me most was how many practitioners showed interest in understanding the types of issues that individuals with congenital and acquired upper limb differences experience. These conversations reminded me that national awareness only matters when it also reaches our local clinics, schools, and communities.

One of the most thought-provoking exchanges I had was with a fellow OT practitioner about access to school-based services for children with orthopedic impairments (OI), like those with upper limb differences. That discussion deserves its own post (stay tuned!).

Every time this poster is shared, new connections are made — and that’s exactly how meaningful change begins. 🩵

Many thanks to the families who shared photos of their children for our poster:
🩷 Angela Platt
🩷 Elaina Simeona
🩷 Lycia4cuteness

Our presentation team! .and.airplanes

10/09/2025

We’re so excited to introduce our Fall 2025 Intern Team! 🌟

This semester, 12 talented undergraduate students from 8 states are joining On The Other Hand Therapy to create content on pediatric occupational therapy and upper limb differences

6 content teams will focus on these important topics:
🩷 Assistive Devices & Technology
🩷 Early Childhood
🩷 Hand Therapy
🩷 Overuse Syndrome
🩷 Pediatric Occupational Therapy
🩷 Website Design & Marketing

I've previously mentored 150 undergrad interns in my private practice and Preschool Motor Group internships. But this is the first time that the focus will be on supporting upper limb differences — words cannot express my gratitude! 💖

Our goal is to partner with families navigating upper limb difference by sharing information and resources and answering questions 💡

We can’t wait for you to get to know them and follow along with their work this fall! 🩵

Many thanks to social media and marketing intern Amanda for this first post! 👏

On The Other Hand Therapy

12/18/2025

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11/30/2025

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