Post #739521 by Capt'n Skully on Tue, Mar 17, 2015 10:40 AM

UGH.. I know your pain...

I went through a BAD spell after spending 6-7 hours of roughing with mallet & chisel on my Lono carving. I've since learned to listen to my body, take many breaks, and to walk away even when I want to keep going.

I've also learned since that every strike of the mallet sends shocking vibrations through the arm, and it affects the joints and nerves themselves whether you feel it or not. It took me a good 6 weeks to get past the numbness and tingling, and that was after a couple weeks where the arm and hand would literally seize up like it had a zombie-mind of its own. It was weird and scary, beyond the pain..

NOT FUN.

Suggestions- Ibuprofen as mentioned, soaking in a warm epson salt bath (soothing), ice for 15 minutes twice a day (reduces swelling)... Even when it feels better, the injury is still present deep inside and can flare again quickly.. So give it a bit more time to heal than you think.

...And learning better positions to work in to minimize the wear and tear on your arms and back, which it sounds like you've learned/are learning.

Good luck and feel better.

~Skully

[ Edited by: Capt'n Skully 2015-03-17 10:42 ]