Not once in thirty-four years has this ever been suggested! A recent visit to the lab had me grinning and shaking my head in a "Why didn't I think of that?" manner.
For a blood test, you're asked to make a tight fist so that the lab technician can easily find the vein and draw blood. It can be difficult to make the fist with the swollen or dislocated joints and deformed fingers that is common with rheumatoid arthritis.
Just before doing "the jab", a very clever lab technician handed me a large specimen bottle to squeeze, while she looked for a suitable vein. What a difference that chubby little bottle made! It was so much easier to squeeze the bottle, rather than trying to make a tight fist.
Next time you're going to the lab, be sure to ask for a "chubby". Do let me know how that went.
I don’t have rheumatoid arthritis, but I do have very fine veins and trying to draw blood for samples can be a problem. Cold temperatures do not help, but I might try this idea by bringing a tennis ball with me to squeeze.