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Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a question in the list below to find out more. If these FAQs do not answer your query then please go to our Contact Us page.

Which disabilities can Active Hands help with?

Active Hands are suitable for a wide range of disabilities and injuries. We are constantly finding new people who find our products useful for them. Here is a list of the disabilities that we have helped with so far: Tetraplegic Quadriplegic Stroke Rett syndrome Spinal Injury Multiple Sclerosis Cerebral Palsy Guillain-Barré Syndrome Muscular Dystrophy Brain injury Parkinsons Arthrogryposis Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Meningitis Spina Bifida Charcot Marie tooth Brachial plexus injury Erbs Palsy Micro Cephaly Dystonia Dysmelic or limb difference due to amputation or congenital Syringomyelia Symbrachydactyly Inclusion Body Myositis Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Motor Neurone Disease/ALS Traumatic Brain Injury Arthritis Dupuytren’s Disease Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)

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I only have part of a hand – can Active Hands help me?

Active Hands have designed the Limb Difference aid specifically for those who have fingers or parts of hands missing. To use them you do need a wrist so that the aid has something to pull against.
The D-Ring aids can be used without any hand parts and can clip onto a karabiner.
We can make bespoke aids (extra charges may occur) if you find that none of our products are suitable for you. Please visit our webpage for bespoke aids.

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Will Active Hands gripping aids work for me?

Active Hands gripping aids work in many situations for many people (see our list of disabilities above). We offer a money-back guarantee on our products so if you buy one and it does not work for you for any reason, just send them back to us within 28 days and, as long as they are in a resaleable condition, we will give you a full refund. We have handy guide to help you choose which gripping aid is best for you?

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What can Active Hands gripping aids be used for?

Active Hands gripping aids can be used in the gym, at home, in the garden and out and about for many activities. For more information please see our How to… section for ideas on how to use your gripping aid.
We love to hear how you are using your gripping aid. If you would like to share how you use it then please contact marketing@activehands.com.

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How do I know which size will be right for me?

There is a size guide tab on all Active Hands product descriptions – you can use this to help you to decide which size to buy. We can exchange items that are the incorrect size as long as they are still in saleable condition with all packaging and labels.
If your measurements fall between two sizes then please purchase the one that is closest to your size. If this does not fit then we can exchange for the next size as long as it is in saleable condition.
If we do not sell a product that fits your measurements (for example if your child is too small to fit our mini aid) we offer a bespoke service. Please note that there is extra cost and time delay associated with this.

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You don’t seem to have an aid that will suit me – do you make bespoke aids?

We like to help as many people as possible who have hand/grip problems, however our standard aids may not suit everyone. If you would like an aid similar in design to those that already exist, but modified to suit your hand/wrist, then please take a look at our bespoke gripping aid section.

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How do I put my gripping aid on?

In this YouTube video Gareth shows you how to put on a General Purpose gripping aid. You can also view a copy of our instruction leaflets, in a variety of languages, by clicking on the relevant product below:

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Can I wash my Active Hands gripping aid?

All Active Hands gripping aids are machine washable. The gripping aids, thumb protector and heavy duty gripping wrap can be washed at 40°C on the synthetics setting in a washing machine (please remove the hook from the Hook aid before washing). Please ensure that the velcro is closed before washing to reduce the risk of it catching on other items of clothing. They must not be ironed, chlorine bleached, dry cleaned or tumble-dried.
Washing instructions

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What other names do people use for your gripping aids?

At Active Hands we find that people use lots of different terms for ‘gripping aid’. To help you to find our products here are some other words that may be use to describe our products:

  • quad cuff or grip cuff
  • grip mitt, grip mit or quad mitt
  • grip aid or gripper
  • hand grip, quad grip or adaptive grip
  • hand strap or quad hand strap
  • tetra cuff or tetra mitt
  • grip gloves, gripping glove or tetra glove
  • gym aid or hand aid
  • active hands gloves or weight gloves
  • grips or strap or grip assists
  • disability aids for hands
  • adaptive fitness equipment
  • adaptive workout glove

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Do you sell anything other than gripping aids?

Active Hands started out selling only the products that we manufacture and design ourselves. These are the core of our business and we are still passionate about these. However, we realised that there were many products already available that would be beneficial to our customers and so we are stocking these also. We would love to be the ‘go-to’ place for hand function products so that our customers could find all they need on one handy website.

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Do you ship to my country?

Yes, we ship our products worldwide! Our website gives prices in £, US $ and € and postage will be calculated for you according to your delivery address. If you are located outside of the US or Europe please select the price in £ and you will be able to pay by credit card regardless of the currency of your bank account.
We recommend that you choose tracked postage. Please note we are unable to send orders via tracked/signed for post to P.O Box addresses.

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Can you send my parcel to a different address?

Yes, please enter the separate delivery address at the check out stage. It doesn’t even have to be in the same country! Postage will be calculated for the delivery address.
Please note we are unable to send orders via tracked/signed for post to P.O Box addresses.

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How much does postage cost?

Postage will be calculated at the checkout page once we know your location, chosen method of shipping and the size of your order. The website may ask you to contact us if your order exceeds our postage weight limit so that we can get you the best deal for delivery.
Recipients of deliveries made outside the United Kingdom may have to pay import duty or formal customs entry. Any such charges are the responsibility of the recipient and we would advise you check the custom duty threshold of the country you require your items to be sent to before you order, and keep your total cart value below that threshold should you wish to avoid any additional charges.

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Which payment methods do you accept?

We accept most major Credit/debit cards through our online web shop payment facility. You may also pay by PayPal. If you would like to pay by another method, or require an invoice or quote before payment, please contact our dispatch team dispatch@activehands.com.

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How long will it take for my order to arrive?

Active Hands dispatch orders each day from Monday to Friday. We endeavour to dispatch as quickly as possible after your order is received although it may take up to 3 working days to get your order in the post. Please note, the Active Hands dispatch office closes for up to 10 working days at Christmas and may close for up to 5 working days at Easter and during the summer holidays.

Delivery time varies depending on the postage options that you chose and your location in the world. The table below show approximate delivery times once your item has been dispatched.

Edit Jan 2023: Please note that, due to postal strikes in the UK, delivery times may be longer than advised below.

Standard PostageTracked Postage
UK1-2 working daysNext day (from dispatch date)
Europe4-7 working days3-5 working days
Rest of World1-3 weeks5-7 working days
Courier delivery only locations**Courier delivery: 5-7 working days

Within the UK we use Royal Mail first class post as standard. For overseas orders we recommend that you select tracked postage at the checkout. Tracked orders are sent by Royal Mail 1pm Delivery Guaranteed. For overseas orders we use Royal Mail International Standard airmail, or Royal Mail International Tracked/Signed For (tracked postage is available to 33 countries worldwide).

Please note we are unable to send orders via tracked/signed for post to P.O Box addresses.

*To see if Tracked/Signed For service is available in your country, please click on the following link: http://www.royalmail.com/personal/international-delivery/international-tracked-signed/coverage

**Please note that orders to South Africa, South Georgia & Sandwich Islands, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, French Guinea, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela  are being dispatched by courier only due to issues with local delivery services. As a result, there is a higher cost for postage.

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Where is my Active Hands order?

Active Hands will dispatch your delivery within 3 working days of receiving your order. Delivery timings vary depending on your location and the postage option that you selected (see ‘How long will it take for my order to arrive?’).

You should receive an email from us as soon as your order has gone through. If you have received this email, but not your order, please check that your payment has been successful before contacting us. You will be sent a second email when your order has been dispatched; please check you have also received this.

If you have not received your order within 28 days please contact dispatch@activehands.com and we will do our best to rectify the situation.

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What should I do if I receive a faulty or broken product?

Your Active Hands product should arrive with you in full working order. If for any reason it does not please return it and we will swap it for another one or give you a full refund.

Active Hands products are designed for robust use and we expect them to last for a good period of time, however with continued use they will eventually wear out.

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What is your returns policy?

If you wish to exchange or return your order please contact dispatch@activehands.com. For a refund or exchange, gripping aids must be in a resalable condition. Please return within 28 days of receiving your order. This will not affect your statutory rights.

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What environmental measures do you take?

Active Hands send your orders out either in decomposable bags or in re-used boxes. We re-use packaging materials that other companies send to us. We make products that last. For more information you can read our article on ‘Active Hands go Green‘.

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