[TheForge] blacksmith elbow

Tue Jul 22 22:11:01 2003

I used to do alot more hammering, daily.  I would wake up in the morning and
my hand would be stuck flat for a few anxious moments.

Part of the problem was the hammer grip.  I had never seen a good smith work
so I had to kind of re-invent the wheel.  I knew that you are supposed to
kind of throw the hammer and relax the grip on impact.  I over-did it.  I
realized that the hammer was bouncing back into the bottom corner of my palm
near the wrist.  It was barely perceptible but it seemed the vibrating
handle transmitted nasty energy into my arm that way.

The main help for me was exercises from the physical therapist.  She said I
had all the good activity my arms and hands needed except for repeated light
work.  I think it's the other end of the spectrum from the normal
mouse/keyboard issue.

She had me pick up 50 pennies each,  with each finger and the thumb.  Also
pull on silly putty type stuff you can get at Wal-Mart the same way.  I
thought she was out of her mind.  It worked in a week or so.  I was amazed.
If it started to flare up again, I'd pull the pennies out for a few nights
and it would sort me back out.

I've since had shoulder flare-ups and got relief from a physical
therapist/masseuse, after the doctor told me to have my bones ground down.
I'm learning a little respect for the nuance of the human body.

Ed

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Robinson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2003 8:13 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] blacksmith elbow

> Three things to try:
> 1. Video tape your hammer swing and stance at the anvil, and compare it to
a
> seasoned smith who looks balanced and at ease when hammering.
> 2. Get some one who is in to martial arts to show you how to do their warm
> up exercises for the arm and shoulder.
> 3. Get yourself a good none elastic arm band and use it after you have
> passed the acute pain stage of tendonitis.
> "Band-it" is the best I have used.
>  It was developed by an orthopedic surgeon to use the arm muscle increase
in
> diameter during the power phase of the hammer stroke to lock the tendons
in
> place. But when the muscle diameter decreases during the rest phase allows
> the blood to flow to the muscles with out restriction.
> Chuck
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Phlip" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 10:09 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] blacksmith elbow
>
>
> >
> > Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...
> >
> >  I like to thank you the people on the Forge for answering my question
on
> > the elbow It help a lot
> > >
> > > jerry
> >
> > Well, I've followed the thread, and I suspect that part of the problem
is
> > that too many of you guys are hobbyists, and male, to boot- testosterone
> > poisoning does some strange things ;-)
> >
> > As hobbyists, you mostly smith on weekends, but as males, your muscular
> > strength may be exceeding your joints capacities. I suspect that rather
> than
> > worrying about exercises (although if you'll do them consistantly, they
> may
> > help) you might consider doing less at a time. In other words, rather
than
> > trying to do several hours of work all at once, with no warm up or
interim
> > training, you might consider increasing your activities more slowly,
maybe
> > going out to the garage for a couple hours three nights a week, rather
> than
> > pounding away on Saturday until your arm is ready to drop off.
> >
> > I mean, think about it guys. Those folks who run the Boston Marathon
don't
> > act like couch potatoes 364 days a year, and suddenly decide they're
going
> > out to run 30 some miles just for the Hell of it. Granted, I'm a mere
> > female, and I put in quite a few hours at my events, but I carefully
pace
> > myself, and I'm constantly doing some form of handicrafts which require
> > coordination and control- much more so than sitting at a desk does. I
can
> go
> > a pretty fair distance (as long as I don't have to stand) without
hurting
> > myself, but I suspect you guys ought to build yourselves up to the jobs
> you
> > want to do, rather than thinking you can just jump in without
> prewparation.
> >
> > Phlip
> >
> > "When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
> >  Blacksmith's credo.
> >
> >  If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
> > cat.
> >
> > Never a horse that cain't be rode,
> > And never a rider who cain't be throwed....
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
>
>
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