What kind of device would you like to have in the kitchen that would assist with the use of one arm?
(no... a full time chef/slave is not an option)
What devices/contraptions do you already use that are helpful?
I am meeting up with two students that are in the Stanford University Product Design Program this Wednesday to offer any ideas or suggestions on their project to design kitchenwares for special use by those with one functioning limb or reduced mobility.
Mark Silva, a prosthetics designer/engineer, at Benton Medical in Moutainview, CA, has introduced me to the two students and we're to meet this Wednesday to brainstorm! Mark is finishing up an apparatus that will enable me to paddle a canoe and/or kayak with one arm that is based on a design that Paul Templer, an African Safari guide that had one arm eaten off by a Hippo while saving another's life, had built for himself to get back into what he loves, the Wild!
So help out now!
What ever ideas you've got for assistance in the kitchen, let us know!
What ever things frustrate you or you find difficult in the kitchen, let us know!
I believe the focus will be on design of pots and pans, but is open to more, so let it rip!
Cheers,
Christopher
Jean & Emilie's blogsite... http://shivachef.blogspot.com
Paul Templer's site... http://www.paultempler.com
ps I'll post pictures of my paddling device once I've got it and have tested it out!
Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
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Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
One-handed can opener (that does not require the possible sacrifice of an existing digit!)
A can/jar holder of some sort. That you can place the jar on to be held stable so you can twist the lid. Or that you can pull the tab and peel the lid open (soda cans, fruit cans, soup cans etc).
A big mixing bowl holder so the bowl doesn't spin around on the counter as I try to stir the cake batter and such.
A pan holder as it sits on the stove. Again, so I can stir the cooking food without the pan spinning aound or sliding off the burner.
If you want more ideas, go to your kitchen and try to make supper with one hand tied behind your back. It'll give you a real good idea of how pots and dishes behave lol
A can/jar holder of some sort. That you can place the jar on to be held stable so you can twist the lid. Or that you can pull the tab and peel the lid open (soda cans, fruit cans, soup cans etc).
A big mixing bowl holder so the bowl doesn't spin around on the counter as I try to stir the cake batter and such.
A pan holder as it sits on the stove. Again, so I can stir the cooking food without the pan spinning aound or sliding off the burner.
If you want more ideas, go to your kitchen and try to make supper with one hand tied behind your back. It'll give you a real good idea of how pots and dishes behave lol
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Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
For one handed can opener try this...
http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-Squeeze-1-H ... B00008ZGNZ
It also has a very handy magnet on the handle end that is used to pick up the top/lid once the can has been opened, instead of pushing one side down and getting can's insides all over you or on the counter.
http://www.amazon.com/Chefn-Squeeze-1-H ... B00008ZGNZ
It also has a very handy magnet on the handle end that is used to pick up the top/lid once the can has been opened, instead of pushing one side down and getting can's insides all over you or on the counter.
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
I am about 20 months post injury, and I have spent many hours in the kichten. Working with pots and pans is not so much the problem as kitchen utinsels are. My right is paralyzed, with some weak function with my hands. Trying to cut, dice, & slice meat & produce can be daunting. An idea about pots and pans is make the handles bigger.
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
Oh yeah, cutting meat is a bit tricky. I've found the best way to slice it is to have it frozen/thawed to just the right solid-state of frozen that the blade cuts the meat without it moving. I make beef jerky a lot anjd that seems to net the most consistent results when trying to slice meat thin.
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
When I search for any product/s, I have found hardly any product friendly for those of us who one armed. I am curious/interested in seeing the canneo/kayak paddle device! I think what chris is doing is awesome! Keep up the good work. Shorts, I too cut my meat frozen. canneo
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Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
I met up with Jean and Emilie, the Stanford University Product Design students, yesterday afternoon and got a chance to see what they're working on. The main focus right now is on pot & pans that have a handle design that redistributes the weight over the center of the pot/pan to make handling/pouring/tilting it easier on the wrist and hand, which also enables you to still hold another utensil in any available fingers as well, which is quiet handy!
We're meeting up tonight to try thing out in an actual kitchen/cooking setting. They may wish they were medical students after I'm done 'cooking' in their kitchen.
Keep the ideas coming, they've been reading them and are very grateful for any and all suggestions!!!
Christopher
Fredrick,
I picked up the paddle brace yesterday and it feels awsome! I'll give it a real test this weekend, take photos, and give a full report on how well it works. I got to head out on a near by lake for a quick 3 minute test on a canoe and the wind was howling so it made it all a bit harry, but I got a taste of how it will work and am extremely excited.
We're meeting up tonight to try thing out in an actual kitchen/cooking setting. They may wish they were medical students after I'm done 'cooking' in their kitchen.
Keep the ideas coming, they've been reading them and are very grateful for any and all suggestions!!!
Christopher
Fredrick,
I picked up the paddle brace yesterday and it feels awsome! I'll give it a real test this weekend, take photos, and give a full report on how well it works. I got to head out on a near by lake for a quick 3 minute test on a canoe and the wind was howling so it made it all a bit harry, but I got a taste of how it will work and am extremely excited.
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I AM BEK1
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
Hi Chris,
Love the idea of kitchen utensils for us one-handed wonders. If you're still collecting suggestions, how about a device that will open those lidded plastic containers that you find in the food stores? What good is buying veggies or salads that are all cut up for us when we can't get the lids off those things? (I had trouble with those containers when I still had a good right hand to help me!) My dentist is threatening expulsion if I keep using my teeth.
And is there a fork/knife combination out there that will hold a fruit or veggie or a steak, even, when you want to slice it? If there is, please tell me, and if not, perhaps they can work on it.
And while I'm here, can you tell me why I have to re-register every time I want to post? You clearly understand how to use this site a lot better than I do. Every time I try to log in, it tells me that my name and/or password is taken. Yes it is; by ME! So I have to open a new account each time. I'm just afraid I will run out of variations of bek1 soon. Also, I want to thank you for all the research you do and share with all of us. Barbara
Love the idea of kitchen utensils for us one-handed wonders. If you're still collecting suggestions, how about a device that will open those lidded plastic containers that you find in the food stores? What good is buying veggies or salads that are all cut up for us when we can't get the lids off those things? (I had trouble with those containers when I still had a good right hand to help me!) My dentist is threatening expulsion if I keep using my teeth.
And is there a fork/knife combination out there that will hold a fruit or veggie or a steak, even, when you want to slice it? If there is, please tell me, and if not, perhaps they can work on it.
And while I'm here, can you tell me why I have to re-register every time I want to post? You clearly understand how to use this site a lot better than I do. Every time I try to log in, it tells me that my name and/or password is taken. Yes it is; by ME! So I have to open a new account each time. I'm just afraid I will run out of variations of bek1 soon. Also, I want to thank you for all the research you do and share with all of us. Barbara
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lgonda
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
Hi My son just LOVE his bread. Started by eating it with nothing spread on. Now is spreading the butter by pushing slice in direction of hips resting against counter and spreading the butter in direction of his body- problem is...buttermarks @ hip height on ALL his jeans, also the good ones!! So plz , something to keep a slice of bread stationary while spreading on butter, especially in Winter!! Also an idea for getting rid of butter/fat marks would be greatly appreciated!! Thankz also C for posting all the interesting latest developments on TBPI scene. I am sharing this with my son's dr (South Africa) and today for the first time in 3 years got positive feedback. Amazing. PLZ keep up the good work. I dont' usually post, but started reading 3.5 yrs back, just after my son's accident.Everyone who are a regular and all the 'new' one's' , plz dont stop sharing, we 'invisible' one's ' need your input.It keeps us in the race!! THANK U (Tears..sniff...sniff.. !!My son still has SAME excruciating pain that he started with, including spikes, but today again stated that he would rather handle life with pain, than be whoozie all the time. I thank God 4 giving him strength and carrying him thru. He ,as far as I know, has'nt posted - I think he reads some of the stuff I pull off site,Hopefully! 
He's 21. Avulsed C6-T1
He's 21. Avulsed C6-T1-
Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Help design Kitchen Utensils for use with one arm!
Here are cutting boards with modifications to them for use with one arm. I've got two different ones of these but don't use them as often as I should. They are "handy" when I've got then out. Don't know if these are available in SA.
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/pr ... ction=1629
Glad your son is pain medication free, it's a nasty trade off, but well worth the different type of sanity regained. The pain makes me nutz some off the time to a lot of the time, but the medication just wiped out any ambition or drive to live, which made me nutz all the time.
Best of Luck,
Christopher
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/pr ... ction=1629
Glad your son is pain medication free, it's a nasty trade off, but well worth the different type of sanity regained. The pain makes me nutz some off the time to a lot of the time, but the medication just wiped out any ambition or drive to live, which made me nutz all the time.
Best of Luck,
Christopher