mauls & risk of rep motion injury

[Ed Miller]

Hi all long time no post

I too have had CTS surgery and after the final eval by the employers doctor was reported at 16% permanent disability in the right hand and 14% in the left. Which is way better than before the surgery. I had to stop playing guitar entirely, could not hold a pencil or a pen for more than 10 seconds before my hand was completely numb. Was bascially unable to do anything with out intense pain and numbness. In addition to the CTS in the wrist I have compression of the ulnar nerve in both elbows. I am however able to play guitar and carve leather. I just have to watch how long I do it. I have to stop and do my stretching exercises many time during the day. After your surgery do everything the physical therapist asks. Religiously, it will help I did switch from a hammer to a maul but that was really only because a tool maker offered to custom make me one at a really good price So I gave it a try and decided I liked it.

I wouldn't give up all hope of your leatherworking until after the surgery and some progression on the therapy.

[Michael Sheldon]

I do a lot of things that should give me RSI trouble. I'm a software engineer, so I spend a lot of time at the keyboard, and I do leatherwork and occasional woodwork, which requires precise movements in awkward positions, and puts pressure on vulnerable joints.

However, only one thing has ever caused me trouble, the computer mouse (not keyboard). My right wrist was always killing me until I figured it out. I then switched to an ergonomic trackball (Logitech Trackman Marble FX) and I haven't had a single problem since. Plus I really like it.

The only issue is that it hasn't been made in years. I see them on Ebay now and again, usually selling for as much or more than they did when new.

I'm thinking of trying out Logitech's latest mouse though, it's got a very similar shape to my trackball. (Hint, let your hand hang loosely at your side, it should end up with wrist straight, and your fingers curled almost as if around a baseball. This is the "position of function", and is the absolute least stressful position. The closer your hand is to this shape when you are working, the less chance of injury.)

I'm not sure I buy that there's any significant difference between mallet or maul, the hand position is pretty much the same. However, a tapered head might help. In my case, my maul actually may be easier on my wrist. I use a 32-ounce maul, which means the weight of the maul is doing most of the work, which in turn means I use arm motion more than wrist. After hours with my maul, it's not my wrist that's sore, it's my arm. With the lighter mallet, it takes wrist movement to get the velocity needed to impart the force. I don't use it for long repetitive sessions though, so I can't say how much difference it makes.

[Johanna]

I went for the last surgical consultation today, and there isn't going to be any surgery. My choice. The surgery wouldn't restore the range of motion, anyway, and that is one of my top complaints. I have an "ulnar abutment" which means two bones are rubbing on each other, and the area is swollen and irritated. They could shave the lunate bone in my wrist, but the surgeon warned that it would ache for a long time, maybe forever. It does that now, so I don't want it to be worse! There is nerve damage affecting three fingers that cannot be repaired surgically, either. Neither can the "vascular osteo-necrosis", which spells eventual doom for that little lunate bone. The consensus was that I should accept the limitations and learn to manage the disability, except for the bone surgeon who wants to fix that lunate bone. He put up a great defense for his surgery, but it isn't expected to fix enough of the problems to be worth it.

They did agree that I need to baby this wrist. No one ever suggested that ever during any of the first year's physical therapy. None of the professionals in the PT office ever cut me any slack or showed any mercy, and four years later I learn that I probably made things worse every time I forced myself to stir cookie dough, start the lawnmower, sweep the walks, whatever with my right hand, trying to toughen it up and work it out. Ugh. Now I'm in the management phase of the injury, which means making a conscious effort to be left handed, and ease up on burden on this hand. I really miss playing guitar, swimming and writing with a pen, but I guess I need to be thankful of all the things I can still do, like bore my friends to tears feeling sorry for myself on my ergonomic split keyboard. I'm just disappointed that there isn't some kind of magical solution, and to "try wearing a splint on bad days" was the extent of useful advice I got for the money.

Johanna

[Bearns]

Hi, I found this thread searching the board for the word "ergonomic" hoping to find perhaps a source for ergo leather tools OR some sort of tool holder for standard 1/4 inch diameter stamps. I've been doing a lot of leatherwork (orders and gifts) this month and now my hand aches and the fingers go numb when I grip the stamp tools with my left hand. I'm using a pair of lock-jaw pliers to grip the tool tonight, which gives me control of placement without twisting or bending the wrist, but I am curious as to how other people deal with this problem... or if there are special tools available anywhere, please share where! Thanks, Nancy

[bkingery]

Hi, I found this thread searching the board for the word "ergonomic" hoping to find perhaps a source for ergo leather tools OR some sort of tool holder for standard 1/4 inch diameter stamps. I've been doing a lot of leatherwork (orders and gifts) this month and now my hand aches and the fingers go numb when I grip the stamp tools with my left hand. I'm using a pair of lock-jaw pliers to grip the tool tonight, which gives me control of placement without twisting or bending the wrist, but I am curious as to how other people deal with this problem... or if there are special tools available anywhere, please share where! Thanks, Nancy

Hey there, I like you am having a very hard time trying to find ergo stamping tools, NOBODY has them, all I have seen is the new ergo swivel knife and modeling tools from Tandy but as far as the stamping tools there is NOT ONE, so i bought some rubber hose from the parts store and am trying to figure out a way to fit it so i can make all my tools about 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch which so far seems to be the optimal size for me to stop all the nerves in my hnds from going numb, still have to work on the bad shoulders and elbows but i'm trying to figure it out.

B

Edited December 20, 2010 by bkingery

[gtwister09]

Nancy,

Some of the things that you might try are surgical tubing (most prefer that over the automotive rubber tubing - for a more tactile feel). Another thing to look at is the pen sleeves. These come in many sizes and shapes (round, square, triangular and octagon). They should fit the majority of your tools. I have used them and the surgical tbing with quite a bit of success with helping others with this problem. Tape is another low cost alternative that some use. Some even use thin leather rolled up to increase the diameter. Good luck.

Regards,

Ben

[bkingery]

Nancy,

Some of the things that you might try are surgical tubing (most prefer that over the automotive rubber tubing - for a more tactile feel). Another thing to look at is the pen sleeves. These come in many sizes and shapes (round, square, triangular and octagon). They should fit the majority of your tools. I have used them and the surgical tbing with quite a bit of success with helping others with this problem. Tape is another low cost alternative that some use. Some even use thin leather rolled up to increase the diameter. Good luck.

Regards,

Ben

Funny you should mention the surgical hose because I was talking to my physical therapist brother after i put that post up last night and he mentioned wrapping surg. tube on the tools or using a liquid latex and doing a buildup to the thickness that we need and make them fit our hands and oh yeah he did say " I've showed you the exercises before why aren't you doing them MORON", unquote.

[gtwister09]

Nancy,

I had to laugh a little.... Not at your predicament but the exercise comment from the therapist. When I was heavily involved in ergonomics the exercises were ALWAYS the least followed item especially for the hands whether it was for computer operators, engineers, deburr people, symbolization people or any other occupation that required some degree of manual dexterity.

FYI. I would not waste my time trying to "build up" a tool with the liquid latex. Anything past a layer starts to get problematic. I would start with tape to see how much buildup is comfortable for you. Test several thicknesses to see which feels the best.

You might also try relaxing your grip on the tools as well. And yes....exercise those hands.

Regards,

Ben