Hello! I have been a doctor for 21 years. My name is Georgy Olegovich Sapego. This article will explain how to protect your elbows, wrists, and fingers.
To save your elbows, you need to do less repetitive movements while working and with less effort. You need to be especially careful with other people.
This does not mean that people will twist your arms. This means that when someone is watching your work, you will twitch, make mistakes and get hurt more often.
Some of the ways to save your elbows are very simple, and some are very incomprehensible. It's better to remember them:
- Do not overstrain. Use less force.
- Do not press or hit your elbows.
- Do not press your elbows on hard surfaces while driving, sitting or when changing body position.
- If you have to regularly press on your elbows, then use elbow pads.
- When you get out of bed, do not use your elbows, but your abs.
Epicondylitis
Have you heard about epicondylitis? There, a muscle tears off from the elbow and hurts. There are special orthopedic devices for unloading the elbow. They are expensive. They can always be replaced with a simple strap or bandage, which needs to be wrapped around the forearm 4 cm below the elbow. This method, as it were, attaches the sore muscle to the bones below the elbow. This reduces the load on the elbow itself.
There are two types of epicondylitis: lateral (outside) and medial (inside the elbow).
Lateral epicondylitis more common in those who:
- constantly works with objects weighing more than one kilogram;
- lifts weights weighing more than 20 kg more often 10 times a day;
- works by hand for at least two hours a day.
Medial epicondylitis more often for those who:
- pulls something weighing more than 5 kg more than twice a minute or more than two hours a day;
- lifts weights weighing more than 20 kg more often 10 times a day;
- something tightly squeezes in the hand for more than one hour a day;
- makes many repetitive hand movements for more than two hours a day;
- exposed to vibration for more than two hours a day.
Wrist and fingers
Better to use large and strong joints. In the sense that do not hang a heavy bag from the store on your little finger. Better hang it on your forearm.
If you need to take something heavy with your hand, grab it with all your fingers at once. So there will be less stress on each finger joint.
If possible, hold a heavy object with both hands at the same time.
Do not strain your hands where you don't need to. Do not stand with clenched fists. It doesn't make sense.
If you work with tools, then choose those with thick, ergonomic handles. If the joints hurt, then the handles of the instruments should be 4 - 5 cm thick.
On all smooth handles and handrails, try to use a rough or rubber coating that improves grip. This will help your fingers slip less and squeeze less.
Install the keyboard for the computer correctly.
If you have arthritis in your wrists and fingers, use your fingers to squeeze and twist less.
Use automatic can openers instead of a simple can opener, or a screwdriver instead of a screwdriver. So keep your joints longer.
Push, pull or roll heavy objects, but carry them less in your hands.
Work less with vibration. The more you squeeze rattling devices like a lawn mower in your hands, the more damaging this vibration is.
All of these rules should be taught in schools for people with arthritis. Have you met such schools?
If you liked the article, then like it and subscribe to my channel. Check out my articles on related topics:
How to properly protect the joints in the hands
How to protect your leg joints
Tricks for leg joints
Knee pincers
