Is Carpal Tunnel Syn. a knifemaking injury? - Picture

R

Rob!

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Feb 9, 2000
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As some of you know I finally got aroung to getting my CTS and Dupuytrens (trigger finger) fixed. It has slowed down (stopped?) any knife making for a while but I just spent an hour and a half feeding big sheets of steel through the metal cutting bandsaw so I guess it's not all that bad. I know the rule - post a picture right?

stitch.jpg



Rob!
 
Nice slice, Rob! That'll take awhile to get back into shape.

When my wife went through her CTS rehab, a friend told us about this product, and it became her "tool" of choice. It's called CanDo Progressive Putty. As her hand got stronger again, she added another pellet.
http://www.rehabmart.com/product/21624.htm
You'd need both the base putty and pellet pack combo.

One of the good exercises beyond squeezing it like a ball, was to be able to stick thumbs and fingers in and then spread them apart. It provides exercising both the flexors and tensors that way.

I wish you the best of luck wit the rehab. Daily exercising will provide the best recovery of strngth and flexibility.
 
I have had both hands operated on for Carpal Tunnel ,its mostly brought on thru working with tools that vibrate a lot or even riding old motorcycles . The sheath around the nerve gets hard then your thumb and first two fingers start going knumb at odd times . They normaly only cut from the base of your palm into the wrist then slit open the sheath then stich you up.About 6 weeks off work for each hand.
Richard
 
I was told if I altered some things that I do then I could avoid surgery, so far it's worked. I used to race mountain bikes, the vibration through the handlebars really was hard on me, so I sold all the race bikes and bought a recumbent bike for riding around (since I still love riding). Also I was grinding metal a lot at work, so I found another career where I wasn't doing that type of thing. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome can be brought on by diet, genetics or actions, so even if you don't hold onto a angle grinder for 8 hours a day like I was doing you can still get it from using the computer or something if your prone to it.
 
ouch!! How about stockk removal? is it a viable option for you? I am assuming that swinging the hammer is out of the question at least for now. Man, I feel for ya bro.
 
As long as the surgeon is not timid about loosening up the sheath carpal tunnel is a piece of cake.

I was working within 24 hours of having my right hand done, grinding and polishing as far as the bandages would allow. The bandages came off a week later and that hand has never given me a bit of problem over the intervening 20 years.

The left hand was done a couple of years later but I took the whole weekend off this time, again no problems.

If the surgeon is timid and does not loosen the sheath enough carpal tunnel can return in as little as a couple of years.

Mine started when I was racing motorcycles, noticed then that my fingers would go numb when I was working on the bike, couldn't feel the nuts or bolts that I was trying to screw on.

The decision to have the surgury was brought on by increasing pain in the forearm and elbow from the nerve blockage in the wrist.

George
 
Thanks all. The main problem was the Dupyutrens condition. It causes the fingers to curl into the palm slowly until they become difficult or impossible to use. In my case, the fibres had wrapped fully around at least one nerve and had to be dissected out very carefully. He just did the CTS part cause he was already in there with the roto-rooter anyhow.

He did offer me six weeks off work, but I like my job too much for that. I haven't taken a sick day in 20 years and I'm not about to start over this. :cool:

As for knifemaking, stock removal is all I do, but the half cast is still on (took the pics while changing dressings). I don't want to go near a grinder with 6 feet of week old tensor bandage. :eek:

I think hand filing is what did it for me with the CTS. I first noticed it after long hous of filing / sanding on my first half dozen blades. Then I hand filed the serrations on 245 steak knives. The grinder changed all that and I may have gone forever without the CTS bugging me too much.

There are a few challenges besides the obvious difficulties in making a knife. Put your left hand in your pocket. Now go the sink and wash your hand. :(

In the end, life is good because Marilyn is spoiling me rotten (as usual)

Rob!
 
With the history of dupuytren's, you're obviosly prone to scarring down in the flexor tendons; make sure to rehab well after that surgery. Did your surgeon refer to you a hand therapist? If not, it's a good idea just to progress and maintain the range of motion. I don't see many CTS releases myself, but the hand therapist I work with see's quite a few of them. Keep that range of motion so it doesn't scar down again!

Great scar, BTW.

--nathan
 
I've got that Dupuytrens finger thing happening, too. Trait runs on both sides of my family, so I got the double helping.
 
Hey Rob,


As an orthopedic surgeon, I will say that the Dupuytren's surgery usually takes longer to recover from than the CTS. Dupuytren's has a genetic component, but vibratory stimuli and/or repetitive trauma is thought to contribute in some case. Vibration can also related to CTS

Bill
 
Yes, things will be tough with only one hand for sure! Like describing to your friends how big the fish you caught was... Climbing a tree while waving...clapping...jump rope!

I have more!! I,m teasing of coarse but you forget how much you need a part until it breaks. Good luck.
 
Just before carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand, one of my customers told me about a home remedy for it. I was already scheduled for surgery, so I got it but also started his plan because my left hand was getting bad.

His solution is this: three times the daily RDA of vitA and D to cure carpal tunnel. He researched it a bunch and figured it was an A and D deficiency because of lack of sunlight. We don't stay out in the sun so much like we udes to.

Anyway, I tried it and it cured the problem in my left hand. I can't argue with results. He was specific not to overdo the vitamins because they are oil soluble and too much will screw up the liver. Vit A and D are synthesized by sunlight, so working indoors we don't get enough.

The guy even went as far as having a half million pills made up, but he was no salesman. However the body dealt with it, it saved me a second surgery so I'm sold on it. It's cheaper, far less painful, and is easier than surgery.

Take it FWIW.

Gene
 
One DOES have to be careful with the Vitamin A - as mentioned it IS fat-soluble, and you can definitely get toxic if you take too much. Vitamin D is interesting...it turns out that the RDA is probably 3x too low, and that the Vitamin D you "make" in your body due to sun exposure works "better" than Vitamin D in foods. The govt is actually in the process of revising the RDA for Vit D right now. Vit D is also protective against Colon cancer.

If you want to go the natural route, Vitamin D and Vitamin B6 is safer and more likely to work than D+A...and this is coming from a surgeon!!!

of course, the causes of CTS are often multi-factorial and what works for one person may not work in another case

Bill
 
Off topic, but it is pretty well established that cancer rates are lower the closer one gets to the equator. It is believed that the body's production of vitamin D is the basis for that, as decreased sunlight at higher latitudes produces less vitamin D.

As for carpal tunnel, my father waited way too long to get his treated by surgery, and it was not successful. Best to take care of it early on and give that nerve compression an opportunity to rebound. JMO. He was a tool and die maker, and wore his hands out as many of you folks do as well.
 
OUCH !!! Looks like that will be sore for a while. I hope everything works out for you Rob :thumbup:

Interesting about the A & D home remedy Mr. Martin. I've had trouble with both hands, forearms, elbows and surgery on both shoulders. Might have to give that a shot, my right shoulder is giving me much grief lately.......again :(
 
I didn't know they did this surgery through the palm. That's pretty gnarly.
 
Damn!!! Rob, if you have any Ht'g relish left rub it into the stitches.:eek::eek: It will help the healing. HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!
 
indian george said:
Damn!!! Rob, if you have any Ht'g relish left rub it into the stitches.:eek::eek: It will help the healing. HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that be like pouring molten steel on it? Sure would! Never mind Mr rascal's suggestion!
Dang, that had to be (still is) a lot of pain, Rob! Get well soon!
 
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