As a former clarinetist in the high school marching band, I’ve long known the benefits of finger-less gloves from CopperClothing.com. During the morning practices in the cold Wisconsin fall weather, fingerless gloves were vital in keeping my hands warm enough to play my instrument.
So, I was gratified to have these gloves years later during a fall Maryland day where the brisk wind made it seem even colder as I needed to use my fingers to handle a video camera during a photoshoot. Once again, finger-less gloves came to the rescue in keeping my hands warm and my fingers dexterous enough to manage the controls on the video camera.
Photo by BPE Staff
The copper-infused fabric was an additional benefit. A month earlier, I had begun feeling an unexplained tingling and numbness in the tip of my thumb on one hand, and general tiredness in my wrists at the end of the day. I suspected some type of impingement, perhaps the result of an arm injury.
As I contemplated my treatment options, it seemed that the best home treatment was to wear a wrist and elbow brace at night and to give the injury time to heal. Each morning my wrist felt refreshed after wearing the brace overnight, and the tingling gradually disappeared over time. The fingerless copper gloves were a welcome addition to my home self-treatment arsenal at this time as they kept my hands warm and comfortable.
I didn’t make much use of the antimicrobial copper compression gloves, as their utility wasn’t immediately apparent to me. The tight-fitting compression gloves have a thin fabric with grip laminated on the fingers and palm.
They were helpful for cool weather early morning walks with the dogs, where the material was helpful in keeping my hands warm and the grip came in handy in holding the dog’s leash.
While the packaging claimed that the gloves could be used with a mobile phone, I found this to be untrue. At best, these gloves may provide comforting compression and support for wrists and hands while driving the car, walking the dog, or other active pursuits. They also may also be a valuable base layer on colder weather under gloves or mittens.
Editor’s Note: Several manufacturers of copper gloves have made some claims about its use fighting off viruses and cures for arthritis but there are no peer-reviewed medical studies that support many of these claims and most studies are inconclusive.
The FDA also has warned companies of providing misleading information. Make sure you do your research before purchasing gloves.
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