Subject: Re: Serious arm pain

From: Noel Gregg <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 22:50:58 +1200 (NZST)

At 19:33 20/09/96 -0400, you wrote:
>I am into about a year of tennis elbow.  Sometimes I can hardly lift a coffee
>cup (or worse yet...a can of beer) let alone a hammer.  This is getting to be
>a real killer.
>
>Does anyone have any ideas?  Anyone else been through this?  What did you do?
> Did you ever get better?  Does it eventually go away.  My doctor has been no
>help.  The session on hand and arm injuries at Alfred did not offer much
>encoragement.  
>
>This is very depressing.
>
>Any thoughts deeply appreciated.
>
>Don Plummer
Don the help that I got for thetennis elbow was from a back man. a kniesiologist
he calledhimself and fixed it first go he said that he didn't want to see me
ever again because it was now fixed for good and I havent needed to go
back[touch wood.
i hope this helps regards Noel G >
Regards

Noel Gregg

---

From: TOMBGUARD <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 14:25:17 CST

I fence (insert joke about picket vs. chain link here) and a friend of
mine has a real problem with tennis elbow.  There are days when he can
do nothing at all.  He came up with an elbow brace from a guy that was
working in orthapedics.  The thing is black with wide elastic straps
that have hook and loop fasteners that allow them to be adjustable. 
He has no problem when he uses it.  He actually has so little problem
that he overdoes it and ends up really in pain after he takes it off. 
I would look into something like that.

Robert

                       ___o_/
  Robert H. Neidlinger    <\                [email-masked]
  "The Tomb Guard"                          [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 1996 19:19:28 -0400

To All,
Lateral epicondrilitis is a bitch. Rest, strecthing, arm bands, shots of
steriods, non-steroidal anti-inflamatories, surgery, etc., all have thier
place. I have been through them all. I was getting shots and the medication
for about 8 months. I was not getting any better but then again, I would get
a shot on Thursday and be at the forge on Saturday and Sunday. I finally had
the surgery in 1991. No fun. But since I do not want to go through that
again, I have been taking it easier. Warming up helps and if it hurts, don't
do it. Or at least as much.

Good luck,

Hochewa

---

From: Russell McCrackin <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 00:16:33 -0700 (PDT)

At 05:59 PM 9/24/96 +0000, you wrote:
>I think prevention is the key. The hammer handle is the problem and 
>the solution. If the handle does not fit the hand properly it requires 
>atighter grip, the tighter grip causes the pain ,going to alighter 
>hammer requires less grip ,fitting the handle properly would allow the 
>user to work easier and move more metal  steve Kayne
>
>
Here's another thing that helps ease the stress on your arm.

Before fitting a new handle in a hammer, drill a 1/8 to 1/4 inch hole
thru the handle about 3 inches down the handle from where the closest
part of the head will be.  The hole must be through at right angles to
the direction of the hammer head, ie., drilled from one side to the other.
Then saw a slit from the end down to the hole.  The hole is there so the
saw slit won't travel (split) down the handle.  Then fit he head to the
handle.  When properly fitted, the part of the slit inside the head will
be pinched closed, and should not be used for one of the wedges.

Since my aim with a saw is not too good, I find it easiest to saw almost
all the way, then drill just ahead of the saw slit.

The slit somehow takes a lot of shock out of the hammer.  Read about
it a couple years ago, and tried it.  It works for me!  Slit handles
and an elbow brace used every time I forge, and I haven't had the
sore elbow again.

Rusty

Get it hot and hit it hard.

Never use force, get a bigger hammer.

.

Rusty
 [email-masked]

---

From: willie calhoun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 15:55:09 -0500

>Never use force, get a bigger hammer.
Another answer is heat.  I know serveral farriers who have suffered greatly
with carpel tunnel because of hammering metal too cold too often.