Unexpected woodworking injury

[Ken Bryant]

A totally unexpected injury that's been getting in the way of my woodworking for three months now (slowly improving). It's diagnosed as "tennis elbow", but I don't play tennis. Instead, I got it in the first place by woodworking in a place not really set up for it (my living room), and cutting a bunch of sliding dovetails on the ends of shelves, while using my left hand (instead of a vise or a clamp) to hold the boards steady. Only spent two hours that way. Bad move. My elbow and a considerable chunk of my forehand have been painful ever since. Can take up to a year to clear up. Sigh...

[Jason Roehl]

Mine flares up every now and then. I got it in my right elbow from swinging a hammer. It was much worse the previous two years, not so bad this year, but I haven't swung a hammer much lately, either. When I had it, I did wonder if it would ever go away...hang in there.

[Wes Bischel]

Ken,
I had that for a while a few years back. It was suggested that I buy one of the straps that go on your forearm. It did the trick - little to no pain. Check them out at the pharmacy etc. They don't cost much and may be worth a try.

Hope it goes away soon,

Wes

[Robert Trotter]

Hi Ken,

from what I have read "tennis elbow" is often caused from muscle imbalances. I think tennis elbow is ralated to the muscles in and around the wrist. So probably holding on to the boards and that has made it flare up. Maybe you could check out myotherapy. (like a special massage - but not really - no drugs or gimicks just hands on) If the practicioner is any good , you should have some improvement after 3 or so visits. If no effect after that, people recommend to go to someone else or it just may not help. But maybe have a go and you might get on the road to recovery a little ealier.

BY the way, I am not doctor or anything:) . I have just been reading about it and have just started a self help program for my back.

Robert

[Doug Mason]

I was using a chisel incorrectly and it slammed into my palm (no blood!), hitting a tendon that ran up into my ring finger. Thereafter I experienced something similar to tennis elbow in my finger--I lost some partial movement (couldn't play guitar, etc). Went to the doctor and he told me there was nothing that could be done--other than the time it will take to heal. Well, four months later, it is starting to get better.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Same thing happend to me after a bout of excessive handplaning when I built my workbench. An elastic tennis elbow brace (http://www.bd.com/elastics/displayProduct.asp?path=0&bid=8&lid=0&tid=0&pid=24), like Wes mentioned, did wonders for me.

No affiliation, this is not medical advice, etc.

[Jerry White]

Ken, you have my sympathy. As I read your post, I am sitting here with a brace on my arm for tennis elbow. I have been dealing with it since early spring. At one time, I thought I was pretty well recovered, but then I tackled a project of installing conduit and wiring in my shop. By the time I finished that, I was pretty well back where I started. It's amazing how few activities there are where you don't further irritate the elbow. I am now trying to avoid use of the arm as much as possible, allowing it to heal. Just be careful and patient (that's what they tell me).

There is a silver lining in every cloud, though. Searching around for something constructive I can do, I have now pretty well sorted and put away all my small parts and hardware in an orderly manner. Been trying to get that done for years!:D

[Richard Niemiec]

Mine is in the wrist, carpal tunnel, which I got from screwing in about 1000 screws into a picket fence that my bride wanted built. That was 2 years ago and its only starting to feel better; it kicks in when I do any heavy work with a #5 or #7...... but its less and less as time goes by.

rn

[Ted Miller]

Ken, I feel for you, I have lifted weights for the last 27 years and benching in the 500s for 10 years or so has tanken its tool on my wrists, shoulders and elbows, I can joint a few bf sometimes and hands are numb for a few minutes, sometimes just holding a drill and my hand goes numb, of course its my right hand more than my left and I am right handed. I am not one for drugs but I use ice when it flares up, 15 minutes on then off for 45 minutes and I do this for a few hours or I take a dixie cup and fill it with water then freeze it, after its frozen I remove about 1/2" of paper off the top of the cup and I rub the sore area directly for 10-12 minutes, Ibubrofen @ 800 mgs will do the trick as well...

[Eddie Darby]

I've had the same problem and it wouldn't go away, until someone told me to take 400 to 800 IU of vitamin E for about 3 to 5 months. No more problem. It takes time for a fat soluble vitamin such as E to build up in your system. I hope this helps!