Bone crushing handshake is not welcome!

Some historians believe that the traditional handshake originates as far back as the 5th century BC. Most think though that the gesture began in medieval times as a way for people to prove that they were unarmed. Described as an opportunity to grab the attention of strangers and establish rapport, the traditional handshake is usually firm and a nightmare for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

In fact, according to the Arthritis Foundation, handshaking can be a painful ordeal for people who suffer from aching fingers and tender joints. Elderly people especially have been known to skip social events where they will have to greet a lot of people and even miss church during times when arthritic hands are the most uncomfortable.

If handshakes have become a dreaded experience, say the experts, you don’t need to hide away behind closed doors and avoid meeting new people. Dr. Shiel, an arthritis specialist who has patented a handshake for people with inflamed joints, suggests that instead of holding your hand out vertically, as in the traditional handshake, you should offer your hand with the palm turned downwards. According to Shiel, this forces the other person to take your hand more gently by turning their palm into your own. You can also take the lead, advises the Arthritis foundation, by gently enclosing the other person’s hand between both of yours or by only offering the tips of a couple of fingers.

Other advice from the foundation includes just being straightforward by letting new acquaintances know that you will either be skipping a handshake altogether because of your condition or by explaining that they will need to be gentle as handshakes can often be painful for your sensitive hands. Don’t be afraid to revolutionize the greeting completely, they say, by giving a fist bump, or to make your hands totally inaccessible by carrying something in your right hand/ wearing a splint or brace.