Do we take enough care of ourselves as nailtechs ??

[Mieke]

Hi fellow geeks,

I didn´t know where i should post this so please correct me if i should take this somewhere else

This morning i woke up, mentally prepared for a new day but all of a sudden got a crippling pain in my left neck and upper back muscles. I could bearly move my head an inch to the left or get up without the assistence of my husband. It was a real panicking feeling and the pain was really intense in my muscles to the point of crying. We called a health centre who confirmed what i was thinking. It´s due to sitting in the same position day in, day out, overusing those muscles so that they completely shut down at one point *which was what happened today *

So I am wondering if sometimes we neglect ourselves just to please customers resulting in a health issue over the course of time?

I bought this ergonomical chair and everything but it doesn´t really seem to help much *im fairly tall aswell 1,83m * and feel i need to bend forward to properly see what i´m doing.

Any of you ever encountered something similar in your profession as a nailtechnician. I think it´s maybe a possitive thing to share this with eachother so we maybe start to pay more attention and take preventive actions.

I,m allready happy now that i can sit up straight on my chair and use the computer :lol:...

 

[geeg]

Hi fellow geeks,

I didn´t know where i should post this so please correct me if i should take this somewhere else

This morning i woke up, mentally prepared for a new day but all of a sudden got a crippling pain in my left neck and upper back muscles. I could bearly move my head an inch to the left or get up without the assistence of my husband. It was a real panicking feeling and the pain was really intense in my muscles to the point of crying. We called a health centre who confirmed what i was thinking. It´s due to sitting in the same position day in, day out, overusing those muscles so that they completely shut down at one point *which was what happened today *

So I am wondering if sometimes we neglect ourselves just to please customers resulting in a health issue over the course of time?

I bought this ergonomical chair and everything but it doesn´t really seem to help much *im fairly tall aswell 1,83m * and feel i need to bend forward to properly see what i´m doing.

Any of you ever encountered something similar in your profession as a nailtechnician. I think it´s maybe a possitive thing to share this with eachother so we maybe start to pay more attention and take preventive actions.

I,m allready happy now that i can sit up straight on my chair and use the computer :lol:...

I think you make an excellent point with this thread and it is an important issue to talk about as we are all in the same boat and also our earnings are at stake too ... excessive sitting .. repettitive movements etc. It used to worry my husband (on my behalf) who said that if nail techs just got up after every client and did a few stretches none of us would suffer with a problem like you are having.

He used to say, "Just look at dogs .. they never get up with out a good old stretch." lol

So once per hour get up and have a stretch this way and that and get the kinks out!! :hug: Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[Annie23]

ouch! hope you feel better soon :hug:

anne xx

 

[Mieke]

I think you make an excellent point with this thread and it is an important issue to talk about as we are all in the same boat and also our earnings are at stake too ... excessive sitting .. repettitive movements etc. It used to worry my husband (on my behalf) who said that if nail techs just got up after every client and did a few stretches none of us would suffer with a problem like you are having. I think i will book in 5 or 10 min extra between every customer from now so i will be able to walk around a bit and stretch my back. i will lose a bit of bussines if you count this up over the month but it´s worth it. if i end up like this i lose much more money.

He used to say, "Just look at dogs .. they never get up with out a good old stretch." lol haha :green:

So once per hour get up and have a stretch this way and that and get the kinks out!! :hug: Hope you are feeling better soon.

Thanks :hug:

 

[Mrs Geek]

Meike I would like to add that all our new advanced courses include Salon Wellness where we discuss this exact thing... great post!! The new Master Plan Folio featuring all the new CND education will be out beginning of September!! :!:

 

[champagne]

Talking of this.....I have a pain in my left lower back....im sure this is due to me leaning to the right on my chair....i have a real problem sitting straight forward.

Are those kneeling chairs good????

I am thinking of investing in one.....do they keep you quite central?

 

[Mieke]

Meike I would like to add that all our new advanced courses include Salon Wellness where we discuss this exact thing... great post!! The new Master Plan Folio featuring all the new CND education will be out beginning of September!! :!:

That is great! Would be defenitly a course i would be interested in taking since it so important. I think that even though i have been doing nails for a while that i am under-educated in this field to be honest.

 

[Mieke]

Talking of this.....I have a pain in my left lower back....im sure this is due to me leaning to the right on my chair....i have a real problem sitting straight forward.

Are those kneeling chairs good????

I am thinking of investing in one.....do they keep you quite central?

I have one of those kneeling chairs of which the legs look like those rocking chairs. I do have to say that it keeps you straight on your chair since you need to hold your balance on them. they don´t have any backsupport though.

 

[champagne]

I think i will go and try one out somewhere, anything that keeps my body straight would be beneficial to my back...

 

[Jessicles]

I had this over a year ago and it was my wake up call. Many may not agree, but I have started seeing a chiropractor and my pains are managed so much better. My migraines (unrelated to nails, had them since chilldhood) are even less severe than they used to be. I go every 3-4 weeks, so it's not like it's excessive, but it keeps my body in check. When I was xrayed, I was told I had the beginning of a bone spur in my neck and that if I continued the way I was (at least 8 hrs, no breaks), my neck would be fused by the time I was 30 (7 yrs from then). I do highly recommend you find a good chiropractor if you're up for that.

Another thing I do is put my sanitizer down the hall instead of right next to me. While the client washes their hands and gets their money/keys/etc out before polish, I run my tools to the sanitizer, thus giving me a chance to stand up,stretch and walk. Then by the time I'm done polishing, my tools are ready for my next client (another short walk for me!) I think this really helps me throughout the day.

 

[Mieke]

I had this over a year ago and it was my wake up call. Many may not agree, but I have started seeing a chiropractor and my pains are managed so much better. My migraines (unrelated to nails, had them since chilldhood) are even less severe than they used to be. I go every 3-4 weeks, so it's not like it's excessive, but it keeps my body in check. When I was xrayed, I was told I had the beginning of a bone spur in my neck and that if I continued the way I was (at least 8 hrs, no breaks), my neck would be fused by the time I was 30 (7 yrs from then). I do highly recommend you find a good chiropractor if you're up for that.

Another thing I do is put my sanitizer down the hall instead of right next to me. While the client washes their hands and gets their money/keys/etc out before polish, I run my tools to the sanitizer, thus giving me a chance to stand up,stretch and walk. Then by the time I'm done polishing, my tools are ready for my next client (another short walk for me!) I think this really helps me throughout the day.

Thanks for the advice. I will defenitly try to integrate some type of movement between customers. I will move back to belgium where i come from in november and will need to start building up my clientel all over again *for the 3rd time*, so i will be doing far less nails for a while again. i don´t know if i want to do customers from morning to evening again and be stuck behind a desk again. we´ll see

 

[Missy G]

Saddle stools are supposed to be really good, Im definatly getting one soon.

 

[Vetty]

In a way I think being mobile helps with this, I may not sit on a ideal position when I'm working but I rarely work on more than 1 client without getting up, stretching and driving to my next one!!!

 

[shedunlop]

I can vouch for this. I am currently seeing a consultant orthopedic surgeon for problems with my back due to years of beauty work including nails and carrying a 'portable' couch when mobile!

I have advanced degenerative disease in my facet joints which effects 3 vertebrae and a bulging disc. This means I am in pain all of the time. I will have injections in to 2 of the joints on the 2nd September which may or may not work.

My message to all you techs is to learn how to sit, stretch often and not neglect your own health for the sake of your work. It is just not worth it and the sad bit is if I had known better I could have changed things, I would not necessarily have had to give up my career.

 

[Sandra V.]

As soon as I read the title of this post I thought of one very important thing . I am having massages at least one or two times a week . Since I decided to do this I am having no pains any more and I have a full book every day 5-6 clients .
p.s. I don't want to starting hating doing nails ... I love what I do for living
Hope you feel better soon !:hug:

 

[uniq12u]

I'm in total agreement about the stretching and the massages. I too find I don't stretch between clients, but even just getting up and walking between them should help too. I wish I could afford massages two - three times a week, but at least once a month has helped. Initially I did accupuncture and that helped at first, then I did massages. If you have a really good massage person who knows stretching exercises, that can really help out too.

You have to know your limitations and set boundaries. It's kind of like having children. You can't take care of them unless you take care of yourself first.

Glad you are feeling better.

 

[user 25446]

Hi Mieke, sorry to hear that Sweden is going to lose you! Best of luck and wishes from Iryna and me with your move back home.

Nail and Beauty in Helsingborg (Allt för Naglar, Manikyr, Nagellack, Gelé, Akryl - Nail & Beauty) include ergonomics education in their nail technician training as I remember. So perhaps you could call them and get the contact info of the consultant who teaches this for them? Maybe that would help.

Keep in touch now after your move!

all the best,

Bob

 

[Exquisite Touch]

I have a back neck and shoulder massage every monday without fail, I know when ive not had one. Doing nails back to back really pulls and stretches at our joints and muscles. I do get up and stretch every hour and start walking about some ask me if im doing aerobic classes haha

 

[Mieke]

Hi Mieke, sorry to hear that Sweden is going to lose you! Best of luck and wishes from Iryna and me with your move back home. That´s very sweet from the both of you I´ll defenitly miss it though

Nail and Beauty in Helsingborg (Allt för Naglar, Manikyr, Nagellack, Gelé, Akryl - Nail & Beauty) include ergonomics education in their nail technician training as I remember. So perhaps you could call them and get the contact info of the consultant who teaches this for them? Maybe that would help. Good idea, i can have a look into this

Keep in touch now after your move!
I will still be around on the nailgeek, that will never change :green:

all the best,

Bob

 

[Mieke]

I have a back neck and shoulder massage every monday without fail, I know when ive not had one. Doing nails back to back really pulls and stretches at our joints and muscles. I do get up and stretch every hour and start walking about some ask me if im doing aerobic classes haha

Lol, You are a role model for me then. i should take after you! :hug: