My fingers hurt! Did I just pull lawn duty, too?
August 5, 2010 3:36 PM Subscribe
My fingers hurt and I'm too young for arthritis! I've been working in the tech/construction field for 3-4 months now and my hands are killing me. I like this job and want to keep doing it. I also want to be able to play guitar in 20 years. What can I do?
I've been doing AV installing, which is a lot of heavy lifting and tool use as well as a lot of fine use of my fingers. The rest of my body has gotten used to the labor but my fingers ache at the end of the day and I'm a pretty healthy 26. What worries me especially is how much my hands hurt in the morning.
1) What should I expect as far as reasonable aches and pains for this type of work and,
2) What can I do to promote better health for my digits?
I've been doing AV installing, which is a lot of heavy lifting and tool use as well as a lot of fine use of my fingers. The rest of my body has gotten used to the labor but my fingers ache at the end of the day and I'm a pretty healthy 26. What worries me especially is how much my hands hurt in the morning.
1) What should I expect as far as reasonable aches and pains for this type of work and,
2) What can I do to promote better health for my digits?
Go to a doctor.
posted by jrockway at 3:46 PM on August 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jrockway at 3:46 PM on August 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
You are not too young for arthritis, I'm sorry to say, but it could be some kind of repetitive stress injury. I would suggest filing this as an injury with your worker's comp people, to document that this is coming from work, and in case you need treatment for it or are unable to work. This should also trigger your employer to look at the ergonomics of your job, in case they can make some improvements.
Sorry to say I don't have any suggestions for feeling better beyond reading up on repetitive stress injury and seeing if it sounds right.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:47 PM on August 5, 2010
Sorry to say I don't have any suggestions for feeling better beyond reading up on repetitive stress injury and seeing if it sounds right.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:47 PM on August 5, 2010
I have a lot less trouble with joint pains since I started taking fish oil regularly.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 3:48 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 3:48 PM on August 5, 2010
Definitely sounds like an RSI. I had one at 27 from knitting too much. The only thing that helped was to stop knitting for a while. Workman's comp may be the way to go on this.
posted by pised at 3:52 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by pised at 3:52 PM on August 5, 2010
You're never too young for arthritis. Never!
But, yeah, the muscles in your hands can get sore from over use, being used in new ways or more than usual, just like any other muscle. If a pen can cause craps, of course a screw driver or a keyboard can. Since there are a lot of muscles there, there area lot of ways to strain them.
I'd treat it just like any other overused muscle, advil and rest, if that doesn't work in two or three days, then a doctor.
posted by Some1 at 3:55 PM on August 5, 2010
But, yeah, the muscles in your hands can get sore from over use, being used in new ways or more than usual, just like any other muscle. If a pen can cause craps, of course a screw driver or a keyboard can. Since there are a lot of muscles there, there area lot of ways to strain them.
I'd treat it just like any other overused muscle, advil and rest, if that doesn't work in two or three days, then a doctor.
posted by Some1 at 3:55 PM on August 5, 2010
I've always found half-finger gloves to alleviate finger muscle stress when I've been typing, writing, or playing guitar too much in too short of a time span. Something about the tightness and support around my hands and knuckles really helps. Something like this, maybe?
Heat wraps or paraffin dips for your hands will probably make them feel better too.
Sounds like muscle strain or RSI rather than arthritis. It could go away as you get used to the physical demands of your job, or it might not. Echoing talk to your employer/worker's comp people, then your doc, then if needed, a chiropractor. Hopefully they'll be able to narrow down the cause-- namely, whether it's the lifting, the repetitive motion (i.e., driving screws), or the fine dextrous motion.
posted by supercres at 3:55 PM on August 5, 2010
Heat wraps or paraffin dips for your hands will probably make them feel better too.
Sounds like muscle strain or RSI rather than arthritis. It could go away as you get used to the physical demands of your job, or it might not. Echoing talk to your employer/worker's comp people, then your doc, then if needed, a chiropractor. Hopefully they'll be able to narrow down the cause-- namely, whether it's the lifting, the repetitive motion (i.e., driving screws), or the fine dextrous motion.
posted by supercres at 3:55 PM on August 5, 2010
*cramps. Cramps! If a pen causes that other thing, then you're using it in a weird way.
posted by Some1 at 3:58 PM on August 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Some1 at 3:58 PM on August 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
All is not lost man. I totally agree with bluedaisy and repetitive stress injury and talking to worker's comp. Usually they will give you training on a series of exercises and stretching techniques to keep your hands healthy.
If they don't just look them up under OSHA or ergonomics and RSI or something like that.
I used to be a diesel mechanic on big rigs and heavy equipment so I know the pain is real, but with some proper care and preventive maintenance you should be fine.
Also get some of those bitchen mechanix gloves from the hardware store. I don't do any kind of physical labor now without them and they make a world of difference.
posted by snsranch at 4:02 PM on August 5, 2010
If they don't just look them up under OSHA or ergonomics and RSI or something like that.
I used to be a diesel mechanic on big rigs and heavy equipment so I know the pain is real, but with some proper care and preventive maintenance you should be fine.
Also get some of those bitchen mechanix gloves from the hardware store. I don't do any kind of physical labor now without them and they make a world of difference.
posted by snsranch at 4:02 PM on August 5, 2010
Here is a pdf illustration for a few hand, wrist and arm exercises and stretches. You can find more and perhaps some that you find work better for you, but this is the kind of stuff that will keep those paws healthy.
Also, don't take any meds for this unless you actually have an injury. You don't want to mask the pain while you're trying to figure out how to alleviate it mechanically.
Good luck!
posted by snsranch at 4:25 PM on August 5, 2010
Also, don't take any meds for this unless you actually have an injury. You don't want to mask the pain while you're trying to figure out how to alleviate it mechanically.
Good luck!
posted by snsranch at 4:25 PM on August 5, 2010
I had similar issues when I read something about the muscles in our hands and fingers are not historically accustomed to the micro-movements of the digital age. The pain went away when I augmented the fine use with exercising my fingers with hand grippers.
posted by any major dude at 4:30 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by any major dude at 4:30 PM on August 5, 2010
Rest is also pretty important for RSI -- if you can take short breaks during your work day, that can help keep you from aggravating the injury. On your days off, try not to do much typing until you're not experiencing pain on a regular basis.
posted by Jugwine at 5:10 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by Jugwine at 5:10 PM on August 5, 2010
This sounds similar to overuse encountered by beginning rockclimbers. The connective tissue in your hands recovers and develops more slowly than the forearm muscles that drive them. This makes it easy to repeatedly overstress them, eventually resulting in permanent or chronic injury.
You can combat this by both reducing the stress on your fingers, and giving yourself more time to recover. Gloves may help both by improving friction thus requiring less force to grip and by preventing sharp edges from irritating the tendons. I also seem to remember noticing movers using some sort of device that allowed them to carry objects suspended from their wrist rather than fingers. Not finding anything on google about it, but it was something like the wrist straps used by powerlifters.
Be careful with self-treatment like heat and stretches. It's possible to injure yourself worse, esp since the connective tissue is already stressed and in a vulnerable state. Also repeated use of anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen can inhibit the healing of connective tissue.
Definitely nth the recommendation to get professional advice on this.
posted by Manjusri at 5:28 PM on August 5, 2010
You can combat this by both reducing the stress on your fingers, and giving yourself more time to recover. Gloves may help both by improving friction thus requiring less force to grip and by preventing sharp edges from irritating the tendons. I also seem to remember noticing movers using some sort of device that allowed them to carry objects suspended from their wrist rather than fingers. Not finding anything on google about it, but it was something like the wrist straps used by powerlifters.
Be careful with self-treatment like heat and stretches. It's possible to injure yourself worse, esp since the connective tissue is already stressed and in a vulnerable state. Also repeated use of anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen can inhibit the healing of connective tissue.
Definitely nth the recommendation to get professional advice on this.
posted by Manjusri at 5:28 PM on August 5, 2010
I had similar symptoms last year, and I also attributed them to arthritis, which runs in my family. My doctor send me to physical therapy, since my joints were not swollen.
What caused that pain in my hands was poor posture (years of that), hunched over a lab bench. A few session with my neck being stretched and pulled, learning few neck stretching exercises that I religiously do, adding a few shoulder strengthening exercise have transformed my life.
posted by francesca too at 5:32 PM on August 5, 2010
What caused that pain in my hands was poor posture (years of that), hunched over a lab bench. A few session with my neck being stretched and pulled, learning few neck stretching exercises that I religiously do, adding a few shoulder strengthening exercise have transformed my life.
posted by francesca too at 5:32 PM on August 5, 2010
I also recommend seeing a doc, who may suggest that you see a physical therapist. I did this a few years ago and learned some excellent techniques and exercises for preventing this from happening over and over again. I used to have regular wrist and hand problems, but now I rarely do, and I don't have to take pain medications either.
posted by wondermouse at 6:02 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by wondermouse at 6:02 PM on August 5, 2010
It could be an RSI type injury, in which case:
* rest your fingers as much as possible
* ice (you can bandage your hands up with those soft blue cold packs you put in the freezer.) - Most chemists and some supermarkets sell them. Remember to put a handkerchief or similar between your skin and the cold pack so that you don't get cold-burns on your skin.
* antinflammatories like Diclofenac (take them with food so you don't get an ulcer)
* see a doctor and/or physiotherapist if it gets worse or doesn't stop soon. RSI injuries can get a LOT worse surprisingly quickly, so see a physiotherapist early to avoid needed cortisone injections, carpal tunnel surgery etc. Trust me, I know whereof which I speak, I've had RSI type injuries in my wrist from typing and data entry. ^_^
It could be arthritis, in which case antinflammatories would still help, but also fish oil, glucosamine. The Australian rheumatology Association has some helpful information on fish oil and glucosamine (under which circumstances it helps, and under which circumstances there is no evidence of it helping) here and here.
Personally, I found Pain Ease (which contains antiinflammatory compounds like Devil’s claw, Boswellia, Ginger, Turmeric and Black Pepper) to be helpful in managing my pain and stiffness, but as far as I know there are no clinical trials to back it up, and you may well get the same benefit at much less cost from just adding a lot of ginger, tumeric and black pepper to your cooking.
In any event, neither Diclofenac, fish oil, glucosamine or pain ease are any substitute for seeing your GP and/or your physio as needed.
posted by Year of meteors at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2010
* rest your fingers as much as possible
* ice (you can bandage your hands up with those soft blue cold packs you put in the freezer.) - Most chemists and some supermarkets sell them. Remember to put a handkerchief or similar between your skin and the cold pack so that you don't get cold-burns on your skin.
* antinflammatories like Diclofenac (take them with food so you don't get an ulcer)
* see a doctor and/or physiotherapist if it gets worse or doesn't stop soon. RSI injuries can get a LOT worse surprisingly quickly, so see a physiotherapist early to avoid needed cortisone injections, carpal tunnel surgery etc. Trust me, I know whereof which I speak, I've had RSI type injuries in my wrist from typing and data entry. ^_^
It could be arthritis, in which case antinflammatories would still help, but also fish oil, glucosamine. The Australian rheumatology Association has some helpful information on fish oil and glucosamine (under which circumstances it helps, and under which circumstances there is no evidence of it helping) here and here.
Personally, I found Pain Ease (which contains antiinflammatory compounds like Devil’s claw, Boswellia, Ginger, Turmeric and Black Pepper) to be helpful in managing my pain and stiffness, but as far as I know there are no clinical trials to back it up, and you may well get the same benefit at much less cost from just adding a lot of ginger, tumeric and black pepper to your cooking.
In any event, neither Diclofenac, fish oil, glucosamine or pain ease are any substitute for seeing your GP and/or your physio as needed.
posted by Year of meteors at 7:44 PM on August 5, 2010
You could try a pair of Thermoskin gloves. I was introduced to them when I worked doing antique rug restoration (mostly fine motor skill work) -- lots of my coworkers used them. The warmth and compression is very helpful in preventing my knuckles from feeling funny when working on tiny things.
Bonus: the fabric looks kind of Star Trek-y
posted by jenmakes at 9:00 PM on August 5, 2010
Bonus: the fabric looks kind of Star Trek-y
posted by jenmakes at 9:00 PM on August 5, 2010
At 26 I worked for a summer as a mover. My fingers hurt at the end of every day, and for about one hour each morning.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:27 PM on August 5, 2010
posted by KokuRyu at 9:27 PM on August 5, 2010
Have a deep massage on your forearm's extensors and flexors; the same sort of massage that a physiotherapist would give to an athelete.
posted by surenoproblem at 7:24 AM on August 6, 2010
posted by surenoproblem at 7:24 AM on August 6, 2010
Response by poster: Lots of good suggestions here. Thanks guys!
posted by es_de_bah at 8:57 AM on August 8, 2010
posted by es_de_bah at 8:57 AM on August 8, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MikeWarot at 3:41 PM on August 5, 2010