Abstract: An apparatus having a portion of shock absorbing material disposed adjacent to front side of a joint. The shock absorbing material can be configured and dimensioned so as to cushion the respective movements of the bones immediately next to the joint towards each other. In a preferred embodiments the shock absorbing material is attached to a glove and a disposed adjacent a middle joint of one or more forefingers. An apparatus comprising a portion of rigid material disposed adjacent a back side of a joint, wherein the rigid material is provided a bending means so as to allow the rigid material to bend in a manner approximating the natural bending of the joint and the bending means is configured and dimensioned so as to prevent bending of the rigid material to an extend which would be an unnatural bending of the joint. The shock absorbing material and the rigid material can be disposed adjacent opposite sides of the same joint.