Do any of you get tendonitis while creating art?
mmitchell_houston
Posts: 2,524
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. I'm right-handed and use a mouse as my primary input tool (I have an art tablet and use the pen sometimes, but mostly it's the mouse).When I do a lot of editing in Photoshop or fine-tuning a scene in Daz Studio, after about a week I get tendonitis in my LEFT forearm and wrist.
And no, I'm NOT having a heart attack and do not have circulation issues. I first mentioned this to my doctor about it 25 years ago, and he diagnosed me with tendonitis. My current GP concurs. Apparently, while I'm working, I lean on my left arm and after a week or so, it causes pain. I treat it by slathering it in Aspercreme and take an anti-inflammatory to decrease the swelling (usually takes 3 days for solid results), and I force myself to sit up straighter and let my arm hang by my side.
Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else ever had this happen to them?
Mike
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No, but I have carpal tunnel so when I'm seriously working with the mouse in DS or typing a lot, my hand goes numb and I have to shake it out and sometimes switch things around so that I have the mouse on the left instead of the right which is my dominant hand. I'm usually pretty good at sitting upright and not leaning on my other arm while on the computer. Can't say that about other times, though.
Check the height of your chair and workstation. I had pain in my left arm one summer when I was away from home and doing a lot of keyboard work at a desk that was a little higher than it should have been. The desk and chair were fixed, so there was nothing I could do to adjust them. When I moved elsewhere to work, the pain diminished significantly.
Google will show you any number of workstation ergonomics diagrams. Basically, your arms should be flat or almost so when you work. Any posture that puts pressure on the underside of your arm is likely to hurt you over time and could actually cause lasting damage.
I'm a right-handed mouse-user too, and lean on my left elbow. I don't get the tendonitis but am constantly getting pins and needles in the fingers of my left hand because of it. It does my head in, but apparently not enough to stop leaning on my left elbow. I expect you've tried this tactic too, and know how difficult it is to stop doing something that's become so habitual. In addition, I'm a one-fingered right-handed typist too - no prizes for guessing that as I write, I've realised I'm leaning on my left elbow. Again.
Well, unless you really want to play up the "tortured artist" angle, "suffering for your art" is overrated.
In the real world, I make surgical tools, or Laparoscopic biopsy jaws to be specific. this requires a great deal of fine motor control as the parts I make 1.8 mm in size, and require me to debur 10 surfaces, as well as put the cutting edge on the cup. If my tendonitis were to flair, I wouldn't be able to hold my tools.
So, I use these tricks to help keep it from fairing. Take frequent breaks. 30-45 minutes at the computer at a time, then get up and walk around for 5-10 minutes. Use the stretches, every workplace for the last 20 years harps on the ergonomic stretches. if you are prone to tendonitis, use them, they help. The moment any pain or twain of discomfort is felt, stop. It doesn't matter if you only need 10 more minutes to finish the project, stop immediately. Sometimes you only need 30-60 minutes before you can continue, sometimes you need overnight...
For me at least, no piece of art is worth the pain of a flair up.
bytescapes: Sound advice, but this has been going on for 25+ years. There's no single workspace involved. My workspaces are set up fine to prevent neck and wrist discomfort (I had early symptoms of carpel tunnel about 20 years ago, but I changed my work habits and equipment and its no longer an issue).
cdemerit: That's the problem. What I'm doing is comfortable. There's no discomfort until about a week later. You are, by the way, correct. We all need to take more breaks.
Astracadia: Yup. Habit is a tough thing to break.
Maybe it's a brain tumor? Sorry, that was a Kindergarten Cop reference...
Not so much tendonitis, but I do get horrible shoulder pains sometimes...
I'm not a 100% sure why, could be a bunch of things... Possibly even stress... Or it could any of the 96,000 injuries I've manage to accumulate over the years. I told my doctor and he was like... "Hmmmm, interesting... You probably slept in a bad position"... Yeah, I'd pretty much have to sleep on a pile of broken cinder blocks and railroad spikes to get that feeling. But then again I could probably show up at his office with a dozen crossbow bolts in my chest and he'd blame it on me sleeping in a bad position.
I've changed my chair, table height, tried sitting straighter, raised/lowered the monitor, keep one arm at my side, wearing a Viking helmet... and nothing really helps... And it's inconsistent... Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't... But does seem related to working on the computer for more than a few hours.
I should probably look up what exactly tendonitis is... I always assumed it was wrist related, I wonder if it can occur in other areas.
EDITED TO ADD... It should have occurred to me... Apparently tendonitis can happen anywhere where tendons can become stressed or damaged... Tendons... itis... I couldn't put those together could I?
Conclusion: Yeah, I probably do have tendonitis of some sort... My doctor is an idiot.
McGyver: Slather the area with Aspercreme for 3 days and see if you have significant improvement. I don't just mean temporary relief, but real relief. An old retired Army PT Trainer told me to do that... and also told me that if I didn't do it twice a day for three days in a row, it wouldn't work (he also threatened to kick the @##$ out of me if i didn't follow his instructions -- but that was just how he showed he cared). He said it took that long to bring the swelling down. For the most part, I think he's right. It helps me a lot.
I have CTS and also have suffered with tedonitis . What I find helps is 3 things. 1) Stretches (when I remember to do them), 2) Supporting the affected wrist (this one doesn't help with the tedonitis which I tend to get with my elbows). I have wrist supports at both of my main culprit computers. At work they have metal supoprt and cloth gloves, at home it is simply a wrist support wrap. But I also have (at both) ace bandages that I use just as much for the support. the Ace bandages have the advantage that they wrap more firmly and conforming, but can also be a bit more inhibiting in movement. and 3) (my favorite) I get my hubby to message the whimpering wrist (or elbow)
Pain when I am trying to create is annoying and not fun at all. I do tend to get involved and single minded and often block out (unintentionally) discomfort when it starts. That is also my problem for taking breaks from the computer, or even taking a break to drink some water. I just get invoved and so focused that many things do not really catch my attention, unless it is one of my pets or hubby.
Have you tried a trackball instead of a mouse? With that you can lean on the right arm or both as you like, as you don't have to move the right arm at all. You also avoid the muscle strains and pains which some people using mice experience.
It may take a little while to learn to get used to it, but after that it's a dream to work with IMO, especially when doing precision work (at least the one I'm using, Logitech M570).
Taozen: I've had people try to sell me on track balls since the 1990s, and I just hate them. I mean really, really hate them. I used one exclusively for a week (ages ago) and thought I was going to kill myself. It was just horrible. Ah well, I guess it's just what we're used to. I like a good mouse or pen/tablet.
It's mostly a posture thing, I think, and I'm pretty sure it has to do more with me resting on my left arm as I lean forward on it looking at the monitor, or just from staying bent too long. One of the things I do to minimize pain (after it starts hurting -- of course I never think of it before then) is to sit with my back straight and my left arm dangling by my side.
Fortunately, I don't have muscle pain in my right arm or neck. My monitor and desk are carefully aligned to minimize that, and I often use a mousepad with a wrist support.
Zelroth: Stretching is good. Of course, I seldom remember to do it before the pain starts!
I was an art major and developed tendinitis in my right elbow after lifting boxes on the job. Unfortunately that spelled the end of my drawing career. For me having the correct height chair and desk is critical to being pain free. Also steering clear of things like video games which cause unnecessary physical stress due to repetitive motions.
sadly a lot of computer furniture is poorly designed and lacking ergonomics. An under the table adjustable desk tray has been quite helpful to me
For me it was my elbow, I was always leaning it on the hard desk surface. Now my computer chair is a layzee boy with extra padded armrests. I work construction, back when I was a young man I scoffed at wearing kneepads, I am paying for that now. I don't need to have a bad elbow on top of that lol.
I was torn between making this post, and cracking a joke about getting carpel tunnel from looking at "art" :P
So where do you folks feel pain?
Even though I described what I feel as "shoulder pain" that's more of where it seems to be coming from... The real problem is it causes a severe headache that seem to connect from the base of my skull to corners of my eyes... Literally like there was a sharp iron rod piercing the area. I've been calling it shoulder pain because if I press hard enough on the inner radius of the trapezius muscle, it will abate somewhat... it feels as though whatever is happening is related to something connected to that area.
I will give Aspercreme a shot... I hope it's not one of those menthol type creams like Icy-Hot... I hate the smell of menthol as it irritates my sinuses intensely... It's probably due to the lycanthropy I picked up as a child, it's only Type-C lycanthropy, so I pretty much just pee on trees and chase squirrels, but still the canine olfactory setup hates the smell.
I've heard a lot of people say good things about trackballs, but I'm not so good with them... From Missle Command to Logitech, I suck at them and they frustrate me to no end... I feel like I may as well have cat paws when I use them, actually cats would probably do better... A while ago I saw someone at a photo studio using some weird hybrid handheld mouse/trackball... It looked interesting because you stuck one finger in it like a trigger and used your thumb on the trackball... The person was using it while standing, so it seemed to be meant to allow one to move around... I just looked to see if there was something like it in stores ( never asked about it)... but all I see is a device that looks exactly like it, but it's for Teleprompters. I figured I'd mention it in case anyone sees or has seen something like that, it might help folks with certain types or forms of tendonitis... Or it might help people with certain types of tendonitis get other kinds of tendonitis in addition to the one they have... I dunno, I'm not a doctor (but I do play one on Thursday nights... But sometimes it's pirate, or vampire hunter... Uh... Forget you heard that), but I figure people can look it up and see if it might make sense to them... Here is what it looked like, but is not: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=257073&gclid=Cj0KEQiAz5y1BRDZ4Z_K_eGa84cBEiQAtQkeaCf2ryW7VnqEpD1z2qAZIlitPqRN1fMYQ-qsMtbj770aAveS8P8HAQ&is=REG&ap=y&A=details&Q=
Thats a long link... I probably should have just copied the image.
It's not a toomah!
I personally find trackballs and alternative aren't of much help for this type of condition, though this is purely a personal thing. Some people are aided by it, some aren't.. A wrist brace might be all you need -- about $20 at any drug store. I've used one (even sleep with it) for over 10 years. No problems since. I also use a tablet rather than a mouse for drawing. That can help, too. The price for a good one is cheap considering their advantages.
If the pain is in both wrists, even though you only use one, that can point to a more serious problem related to your posture while sitting. If you sit and jut out you neck or chin, it can pinch one or more cervical vertebrae, harming the nerves that go to your hands. You feel pain and numbness in your hands and fingers, even though it's a nerve in your neck that's causing the problem. Get that looked at right away, as the damage can become permanent.
McGyver, that sounds a lot like a pinched nerve. My gramma had something like that, but it started in her hip.
I am a trackball only user also. Drives me nuts at work when I have to use a standard mouse, I feel like I am working in the ice ages when I have to move my whole arm when I could do the same job with just my thumb, LOL.
Yep, I have bad tendonitis in my shoulders. Working on a render for a while, even an hour, will put me in pain for days. (But also, I have no shoulder joints, so /everything/ I do with my arms is supported by muscle alone. So they never get a lot of rest.) The same goes for typing and videogaming, though. I suffer the pain because I'd be miserable without my hobbies.
Yes, I think the problem is the long time it takes to get used to it what scares many people away. But now, after having used trackballs for several years, I'll never go back to mice again. When I occasionally have to use one it feels so awkward and clumsy to play with.
Oh, I definitely caught that last crack you made! Naughty, naughty! Good thing this is AFTER Christmas, or you'd get on the Big Guy's list! :-)
ALL: Trackballs are really for those with CPS in their dominant hand/wrist. I don't have that issue. I use correct posture and a padded mousepad with a properly adjusted chair and monitor to prevent that. My pain is in my left forearm due to leaning forward and keepin my left arm bent for too long.
McGyver: The Aspercreme I am referring to is the original formula -- it is not a deep-heating ointment. Be careful, though, they do sell a menthol-based version, so avoid it. The original formula is just a topical analgesic cream; it's a thick white cream that really slathers on thick, but dries fairly fast. And I have two things to add:
Good luck, and let me know if it works for you.
Many repetitive tasks will give you strain, deskjobs, hammering nails you name it, the secret is to not do one thing for too long, take breaks squeeze a stress ball, stroke your kittycat.
You have what my old music teacher Mrs. Mellinger calls "Stupid Fingers"
I get this, as a graphic artist, guitarist and someone who just spends using one hand to type, another to spell check and a third to eat cheetos all day. It can be beneficial to you to take a break and try a therapeutic putty to stretch out those ligaments that have been wrapped around a stylus all morning. I learned about this stuff early on when I tried to play those Mel Bay chords that looked like advanced gang signs.
https://www.therapyshoppe.com/category/6-therapy-putty
Aw, man... I've achieved grandma status... That's rough.
get some wood in that stove and make us a pie and then tell us about rumble seats!
I often get pain in my LEFT wrist and forearm - I couldn't work out why as I am RIGHT handed and don't use my left for much. Reading over the posts here solves a mystery - while my right hand is on the mouse, I'm either leaning on my left, or my left hand is under my chin, elbow on the desk. Or in front of me on the desk, while leanign on it.
I"ve also realized that when I am reading in bed, I am leaning on my left side, with my left hand supporting my head while I read from my ipad that is supported by a couple of pillows in front of me. Hmmmm it's all making sense now.
I do get stiffness in my right hand occasionally, but it occurs more often in my left. To the point that I often have trouble holding stuff.
Oh yeah, and I also get sciatica in my leg LOL.
Its when you get pressure sores on your butt you need to start worrying ...
I haven't read the whole thread but thought I'd jump in here. I'm left handed, I mouse with my right hand. I had trouble with cramps and really painful wrists even when using padded wrist rest on my mouse pad until I started experimenting around with different size mice. Everything from a shrew to a rat. I now prefer a medium to large sized rat.
I only get tendonitis from heavy blunt-force trauma-- which has only happened a few times in my life (the only one of my fingers that comes to mind is 10 years ago, when I came inside from feeding the birds during 1 and a half feet of snow. I slipped on the slush stuck to my boot when I entered the house-- the entrance has a smooth linoleum floor. I slipped just as I spun around to close the door. When I lost my balance, I reached out with one hand for support while slamming the door shut with the other hand. Worst scenario occurred at the perfect timing-- I simultaneously fell backwards as the door slammed HARD on my fingers, so they were crushed and yanked back on at the same time. Took 3 whole weeks for the swelling to subside, 2 whole months for the bruises to fully heal, and 6 months for the tendons to fully heal/stop hurting.) Then again, I'm 25 years younger (I'm 35, if you must know) than most people on these forums and the majority of content creators (or at least the female ones)
I do sometimes get tendon cramps in my fingers when I am dehydrated or rarely, when my potassium or magnesium levels are low. These always disappear once the cause is dealt with, though.