How To Use Eating Utensils: Part One
How to use eating utensils. Sounds easy! But for someone with weakness, pain, limited mobility or coordination problems it might not be so easy! This is why adaptive eating aids can be important. We discussed in a previous blog how the type of utensil grip used will affect how much shoulder and elbow movement is required to bring the utensil to the mouth. In this blog we will examine a common utensil grip pattern and discuss the joint positioning and strength requirements to use this grip to hold a utensil and perform the task of self feeding. Of course there is no right or wrong way to hold a utensil. In fact, altering the type of grip pattern used may make the task easier (or harder!) for certain individuals. The grip pattern shown below is very common and is a pretty good way to hold a spoon or a fork.
In this type of grasp pattern the utensil is held between the index and middle fingers with the thumb on top. Not much joint movement or muscle activity is required particularly when the spoon is just being held, not actively scooping food. In fact this is pretty close to the position of rest for the fingers and hand. Look at your own hand right now in just it’s natural resting position. It is likely that your hand is in a position pretty close to the position in the photo. What muscles are required to hold this position? Slight intrinsic hand muscles and your thumb flexor muscles. (palmar and dorsal interossei and flexor pollicis longus) for you therapists out there! Again, the muscle requirement is minimal. So what is wrong with this position? Possibly nothing! If a person had difficulty with utensil use and this was their natural grasp pattern I would first try to work with strategies that would allow the person to continue with this grip before moving on to adaptive utensils. A repetitive craft activity like sand art might provide good practice and repetition for using this grasp pattern.
Check back for Part Two where we will discuss coban and what happens with scooping and stabbing! For a concise but thorough guide to adaptive eating aids please visit our Guide to Adaptive Eating Aids Page. We also invite you to contact us at anytime. Update: 4-16-22. We have just launched our new Adaptive Eating Aids Shop. We invite you to visit this new, online shop.
Update: 10-20-22 we are currently developing a new assistive eating aid for Parkinson’s and Essential Tremor. The Chill Spill tm patent pending should be available in summer 2023.