david, first, being a creative wiz is one thing and production must
go on, of course, but it is a mistake to put your wrists in all
different bent positions, while moving your hands alot with constant
muscle pressure in your forearms, especially for long periods of
time. Your hands are not universal clamps, meant to set up in any
position. The object is for the young, or those that have never put
their wrists through these strenuous positions, and plan to start up
grinding,carving,etc., to keep the wrists as straight as possible
while working, and plan your methods of work around this parameter.
Don’t let the fun, the material, the timing, overtime pay, etc.,
control your wrists, because you might pay, years down the line.
Many have found out the hard way, that these things(wrists) are not
just ball and socket tools for industry application, in fact they
are tendons, muscle, bone, and bursae, that can only be stressed so
much. You must train yourself in this endeavour, because it is very
natural to assume positions based on ease and/or fatigue If you need
to hold tight with alot of control, keep your wrists in a relaxed,
straighter position, and flex the biceps, or press the bicep/tricep
against the side of the rib cage, this gives the wrist more
relaxation. I learned this after an excruciating bout of tendonitis,
muscle pain, shooting up my forearm, that started to occur after
about my first 6 years of carving thousands of, exotic hardwood,
ivory, acrylic, cuff bracelets, etc. for a company, in a sweatshop.
As i said about the timing and overtime pay(MONEY); don’t let these
things be the controlling factor, because they care not about your
wrists. One other problem with stone cutting or polishing on
stationary wheels is; while sitting, with your forearms leaning on
something for control in your hands the majority of your muscle
pressure comes from your forearms and your hand(right through the
wrist), which doesn’t allow your bicep to help out at all, unless
your chair is higher and you can use the forearm/ribcage pressure for
stability instead. That is something to be observed and dealt with.
David, the soft brace for the wrist(carpal tunnel brace), is going to
help more than not. Awareness rules! starving artist