Aching elbow and shoulder pain from doing nails.

[Emma Bagnall]

i have been doing nails for 11 years now, and think i may be suffering from repetitive strain injury. if i have a busy day, maybe 7-8 infills or sets, my left elbow feels like its on fire. its the arm i use to hold and steady my clients hands, not the one that actually does the work. then the following day my shoulder also aches.. tried physio, which works, untill the following thursday, friday, saturday when i'm busy again. does anyone else get this? does anyone know of anything i can try? supplements? elbow supports etc.... if i dont do something soon i'm worried what the long term affects may be!
any help or advice much appreciated... x

 

[geeg]

i have been doing nails for 11 years now, and think i may be suffering from repetitive strain injury. if i have a busy day, maybe 7-8 infills or sets, my left elbow feels like its on fire. its the arm i use to hold and steady my clients hands, not the one that actually does the work. then the following day my shoulder also aches.. tried physio, which works, untill the following thursday, friday, saturday when i'm busy again. does anyone else get this? does anyone know of anything i can try? supplements? elbow supports etc.... if i dont do something soon i'm worried what the long term affects may be!
any help or advice much appreciated... x

If you search 'posture' and user geeg you will find quite a few posts on this subject.

Here is one about the correct chair to use.

Usually an office chair (modified for the salon usually colourwise) is an excellent choice as they are meant for people who SIT all day and need good back support!

The problem may not be your chair but rather the height of your chair, or how you are actually sitting in your chair that is the problem.

height: when your arms are bent at the elbow at a 90degree angle, your forearms should be resting on the desk. If they are not --- your chair is too high or too low. It is essential that your buffing arm is supported and never off the desk when you are working.

position: bum well back in the chair with your back against the back of the chair and the chair pulled well up to the desk.

This is probably what you are not doing. Your back should be straight and you should not be in a hunched position. If you can't see your work unless hunched over it, then get some magnifying glasses from the chemist and bring your work closer to you that way.

It really is important. the most expensive chair in the world will not improve your posture unless you sit in it correctly.

 

[pips]

If you search 'posture' and user geeg you will find quite a few posts on this subject.

Here is one about the correct chair to use.

Usually an office chair (modified for the salon usually colourwise) is an excellent choice as they are meant for people who SIT all day and need good back support!

The problem may not be your chair but rather the height of your chair, or how you are actually sitting in your chair that is the problem.

height: when your arms are bent at the elbow at a 90degree angle, your forearms should be resting on the desk. If they are not --- your chair is too high or too low. It is essential that your buffing arm is supported and never off the desk when you are working.

position: bum well back in the chair with your back against the back of the chair and the chair pulled well up to the desk.

This is probably what you are not doing. Your back should be straight and you should not be in a hunched position. If you can't see your work unless hunched over it, then get some magnifying glasses from the chemist and bring your work closer to you that way.

It really is important. the most expensive chair in the world will not improve your posture unless you sit in it correctly.

Fab advice Gigi and it does work!

I have suffered RSI for 17 years and had 3 opperations on one arm alone but continued to suffer after a busy day sat doing nails. I also used to suffer neck ache and tension like headaches from the way i used to sit and hold myself.

I was always consious of having to ask the client to move their hands towards me as more often than not i would find after half hour i was reaching so far across the table i may as well sat on the clients lap!

Follow the advice Gigi has given and you will see an improvement.

Also never be affraid to take the clients hand in both of yours and move it towards you for ease of workability HTH

 

[alli]

I suffer from this too, but I did notice that it's my posture, when I'm doing nails my shoulders are all tense, I now try and remember to relax and it does make a difference, again it drives me nuts when clients keep pulling their hands further and further away and you're halfway over the nail desk trying to do their nails!!

 

[soriminah]

If you get pains in your elbows it's usually tight forearms. Do a bit of self massage on your forearms each night in the shower - I do it just before I;m about to get out. I use 3 fingers and use a back and forward motion across the muscles. Put you fingers in the middle of your forearm and move back and forwards and do this up and down the muscle. Then turn your arm over and use your thumb in the same motion on the underside of your arm. After that I then rotate my wrists, then I intertwine my fingers and stretch my arms above my head - palms facing up.

You should be doing hand and arm stretches all during the day when working - especially between clients - only takes a minute or two.

This is the first thing I was taught when starting massage as you can do real damage to yourself while helping others so the same would apply for nails.

 

[talented talons]

This is so true doing massage on yourself.

We all forget about posture when doing nails and do end up tense, aching shoulders, headaches and tight arms, because we are letting the client pull away. They don't realize they are doing it half the time.

I always keep moving the clients hand towards me and also reminding myself not to slouch and bend forward.

I also find that rubbing emu oil into your joints and hands is a real soothing thing to do too. Especially after having showered.