Painful Thumbs

[Possibly Right]

Anyone have any tricks for faster recovery of achy thumbs and hands?  :'(Thanks in advance!

 

[caramelcappuccino]

Painful Thumbs

Are you lookin for a tool to ease the stress of your thumbs or do you need some type of ointment. Try Massage Warehouse for several save your thumbs tools and they also have a couple of books too. :-*

 

[mamacita]

I bought a fun tool!! It called THUMB EASE.... Its Kinda simplistic in design, but it is really a neat little tool. I am fortunate enough to live in Atlanta, so I get to peruse the showroom at Massage Warehouse.  ;D

 

[katsura kotonoha]

first of all, you should always stretch out your fingers, wrists, and forearms before massage.  anyway there is a wonderful tool called the acuforce 7.0, but if cash is a problem go to a hardware store and buy a lg. dowel rod that is comfortable in your fist and then one about 1/2 its size, sandpaper, wood glue, and a small rubber walking cane tip. cut the lg. dowel rod a little longer than the lenth of your fist, drill a hole1/2 way through for the other sm. dowel rod to fit in.  then cut the sm. dowel rod to size ( probably about 2 1/2- 3 in. if that long) then glue the sm. dowel rod in the lg. one, and glue the rubber tip on to that.  finally sand off the rough edges of the dowel rod.  it should look like a  T   when you are done........sorry it took so many words.  i hope i helped!

 

[Campbell]

I've got another idea.... this geared more toward self-help. Once you've got the sore thumbs/joints it's difficult to work. I experienced that when I first graduated from school (ages ago). I was lucky enough to land a position where I was literally handed a full time clientele. I was elated, but definitely didn't have the strength or stamina to do that amount of work right off the bat. My chiropractor advised me to drink black cherry extract (unsweetened). It's available in health food stores. He also recommended icing my hands (I hate that!) in a container of ice water every AM/PM. Those two things (along with the self help stretches & working with strength putty) really kept me in business. I was also taught how to adjust my thumbs between the trapezium & carpal bones, and my wrists. I know not everyone has somebody to teach them that. Later in my practice I took a CEU course called "Thumbless Therapy" that really challenged me to rethink how I  work with my hands & how many different ways I can take the pressure off by incorporating more creative stroke work using my DIPS, PIPS, flat fists & forearms. My 'back protocol' has really changed because of that class, and I have the strength & stamina to work without pain.

 

[princess]

Enjoyed your response to painful thumbs. Can you tell us more about the adjustment between  the trapezium and carpal bones?  

 

[Pompal 09.]

Painful Thumbs

My chiropractor taught me. It's not a spinal manipulation, so not one of the 'esoterics', but I wouldn't think that describing it would be of the best help. it's much like when you grasp your finger near the proximaljoint & firmly tug away (not jerking) to alleviate that 'stuck' feeling near the knuckles. i was taught to use a hand towel to grip with & grasp the thumb & thenar eminence and pull down & away. I believe it stretches the abductor & flexor pollicis brevis, allowing that joint to release. I would much rather *show* somebody, and even more rather their chiropractor to show them.Jill/sagetherapist

 

[NocturnalWitch]

Painful Thumbs

Hello! I am pretty new at being a therapist. I work at a very busy spa and was thrown in to doing 4 or 5 massages a day. As a result my hands forearms and elbow immediately started giving me problems. A client of mine was talking about this oil that she has that takes away any pain she has. She swears by it. I was very intrigued so I bought some, sure enough she was right. This stuff is a miracle. Any time I have a pain in my hands,wrists, elbow etc. I just rub it on and it's gone. It's called Olbas. It's an analgesic oil imported from Switzerland. It is a blend of essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, etc. Try it ,it really does work. You should be able to find it at your local health food store.

 

[j t]

Painful      

Painful can be caused by a strain in the flexor policis longus muscle. It goes up the anterior forearm just next to the radius. The other thumb muscles can be the cause,or strain in the joint capsule. You should test your to see what the cause of your pain is. If it is muscular then massage can help!

To see the muscles of flexion, visit http://www.realbodywork.com/learn/hand/thumb.htm

The tests for the thumb muscles are to perform flexion, extension ect...  against resistance, if a motion hurts, it probably muscular. If passive motion hurts at the end-range- it is probable the joint capsule.

If you need more than this, check out the video Heal Your Wrist pain, naturally- by me! You can see clips of this at http://www.realbodywork.com

Good luck-

Sean Riehl

 

[sharpz]

Painful Thumbs

Ironic. I was just considering buying this painful hand/wrist video, then saw your note online. (I have been having trouble for the last two or threee months only. Tendons/joints. Not to mention my poor left S-I joint.) I have a question please: I am reticent to give up intensive work with my hands per se because I think one or two of my clients come to me for exactly that intensity. (Great for them, finally catching up with and killing me.) Question: Do you lose some clients when you shift technique? I love my clients. I am in conflict. But I am sick of hurting myself to help others and know I need to get a grip (or lose a bit of it)!Thanks,Rebecca

 

[Shauna]

Painful Thumbs

Also, anyone know anything about what to do about fractures of the bones in the hand?

 

[Billy G]

Hi Rebecca,I share your pain. Actually, I worked in a Spa and would work on several clients a day, one after the other w/o much of a break several years ago. I was to point where I had alot of tingling in my fingers and hands. Sometimes, I couldnt feel them at all, very annoying. It was rather frustrating, and I thought I should lighten up a bit on pressure, but then I never did because I felt like it wasnt fair to the client...same stuff you are struggling with. So, I started icing my hands and forearms in a big tub before my day and at the end of the day (same as Jill), I went to a chiropractor to get adjusted and saw a Massotherapist to work my arms, shoulder and neck. I even went to sleep with those splints on my wrists. I learned how to stretch my hands and wrists. Now, I work alot on my  own forearms to clear out any tendinitis before it gets the best of me. I learned how to use my forearms and elbows to get a good stretch with the tissues. I try to use both thumbs (piggy back), when I work deeper. It can be managed, but it's something that takes some rethinking. Goodluck...Thumbs up! Deb

 

[Spike]

You might want to carefully schedule your days so you can do some self care & rest in between clients for a while. If you have soft tissue aggravation or injuries, you know that you'll have to be patient. They will heal, but not quickly if you don't take  proactive measures. I hate to think that your business would suffer, but can you afford to do fewer therapies for a season or so to give yourself a break? My old chiropractor in Vegas would let me use his ultrasound machine now and again.... heals on a cellular level. Worked great for various complaints. I wish you the best of luck & encourage you to really t-r-y the suggestions offered. Remember, (just like our beloved clients who ask for self help exercises etc & do not actually practice them) it will be time wisely invested in yourself and your health. I do like the idea of getting massage yourself, and asking the therapist to concentrate on hands, arms, neck (thoracic outlet stuff). Please tell us how you are coming along.Good health!Jill

 

[lynn]

Lillian, I teach massage in Va. Bch. I recommend warming up hands before every massage. When your hands ache at the end of the day try submerging in a bowl of ice water for fifteen minutes..also Biofreeze works great!!                                                           B. Daly

 

[Darlene]

It seems odd to me but they don't really teach you about self care in school. They talk about it but they don't force you to do it before/after you see clients for credit (in my school we worked on the public as part of our program).I have a bum right wrist and I never went into massage with the idea of doing a full time schedule, I mean at 25 I had arthritis. So I only do 4-8 massages a week (also I still have my day job).But I do have to cast my vote in favor of all the self care comments.  I knead my forearms and stretch my fingers and forearms while my client is changing. I also will stretch my back, hamstrings,calves, and quads if time allows.  I believe this has made a big difference in my ability to give massage safely.In my day job, which involves a lot of computer work, everytime my boss wants to gab, I put on some lotion and work on my forearm, wrist,and fingers while he goes on and on about some minor thing. I'm sure I look strange but I don't have carpal tunnel and, aside from the arthritis aching, I've kept my wrist pretty healthy.So I guess the moral here, is find a self care routine and do it all the time.  And self care also includes downtime! If it doesn't help, it is time to see the doctor.Also, I love hot packs, ice doesn't seem to be my thing. I get tight more than inflamed from doing massage so the heat is wonderful.Michelle

 

[dumdum]

I can fully appreciate your aching thumbs.  After many days and weeks of strictly shiatsu in school and having FMS I had to get religious about taking care of my thums and hands.  I started Yoga 3x a week and have for several yrs since and invested in a parafin wax unit.  I continually stretch throughout the day, use quality essential oils and alternate heat and cold with flare ups.  I refer quite often to the massage therapists Save Your Hands book when I a reminder.Good Luck   :

 

[Keira]

I'm finding everyones suggestions very helpful, but my problem isn't so much my hands as it is my wrist extensors.  I do my carpal tunnel stretches constantly, and before and after massages (and sometimes on my off days) I use my forearm of my left hand do apply friction to the extensors on my right hand, etc., but that just isn't doing as much as it used to.  I've tried Biofreeze and Sombra, and that provides short term relief.  Does anyone have any advice that hasn't been offered up yet? PS-I iced my hands/elbows for the first time today, could only do it for 20 seconds at a time and I hated it, but my hands do feel better already!

 

[Martha S.]

Painful Thumbs

I had a hard time using my thumbs a lot at first (lack of strength, mostly) and adapted by using the first knuckle of my index finger to hit pressure points.I don't know if it's because I got in the habit of alternating or just because I don't generally do a lot of massages every single day yet - but I haven't had trouble yet with sore thumbs.

 

[Eric]

Painful Thumbs

Link to the above mentioned "THUMB EASE".

http://www.massagewarehouse.com/THUMB+EASE+MASSAGE+TOOL+PAIR+OF+2/ITEM_NO=230+0015/SHIP_TO_FLAG=Y/catalog.jhtml

 

[SandraAmore]

thumb pain

The past 3 years have brought a few episodes of thumb pain for me. Considering the amount of deep work I do I was surprised it didn't happen sooner. It was happening on both hands and would be a hot stabbing pain at the joint which radiated into a general ache through the hands. When ever I get a flare up I start wearing a thumb stabilizer when not working(overnight as well). I also try hydrotherapy and sometimes Physio. A recent trick learned on this site was gentle traction on each digit whilst doing small circular motion (Thanks due to Jay for that one
I also changed clinics, as where I was working sometimes required me to see over 35 pts a week...after tens years I just can't handle that pace anymore. Now I limit 5-6/day 5 days a week.
I love what I do and I want to be able to do it for at least another 10 years
Hope this helps,
KAT