Preventing & Treating Woodworking Hand Injuries
Almost ¼ million Americans are employed as woodworkers. And many others enjoy the creative outlet of woodworking as a hobby. In fact, woodworking is ranked as the fourth most popular hobby in the US with more than 16.8 million households engaging in woodworking.
Woodworking is a skill that requires strength, precision, and lots of patience. Operating woodworking tools puts a great deal of pressure on the hands, fingers, and wrists. Additionally, working with wood also exposes the hand and fingers to potentially dangerous tools and serious accidents.
Understanding the anatomy of the human hand – and becoming familiar with symptoms of common hand disorders – can be helpful when it comes to protecting oneself from hand injury during woodworking.
Repetitive Woodworking Hand Injuries
Continuous repetition of the same movements when using woodworking tools can often lead to ‘repetitive use injuries’ such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Other common repetitive use injuries that can be caused by woodworking include tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and cubital tunnel syndrome.
Repetitive wrist and elbow extension, can potentially lead to “tennis elbow”, medically called lateral epicondylitis. Symptoms include pain near the outside of the elbow at the bony protrusion during repeated lifting, and/or when extending the wrist backwards.
Vibration from power tools as well as repeatedly holding the wrist at an awkward position may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome and/or cubital tunnel syndrome over time. Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, numbness and tingling in the index finger, middle finger, and thumb. Cubital tunnel syndrome affects the ring finger and pinkie.
Tendon & Vascular Woodworking Hand Injury
There are also some more severe injuries that can occur when woodworking. There are muscles in both the hand and forearm that function to make our fingers and thumb move, grasp objects, rotate, flex, and bring the fingers together and spread them apart. Tendons are a thin portion of tissue at the end of a muscle that attaches the muscle to the bone. When one moves their fingers, the muscles responsible for movement are actually contracting in the forearm, not the finger or hand.
During woodworking it is not uncommon for tendons in the finger or wrist to be cut with a saw or other tool. When this happens, it is not just a simple laceration that can be fixed with stitches. Instead, this kind of injury typically requires surgery by an experienced hand surgeon to repair the tendon and restore mobility.
“Hypothenar hammer syndrome” is another potential hand injury that can result from woodworking. It is characterized by discoloration or throbbing on the small finger side of the palm.
While his is not a common injury, when it does occur, it is most often found in people who use power tools or other heavy equipment. This injury occurs over time when excessive pressure is repeatedly placed on the pinkie side of the palm, which limits blood flow. The decreased circulation can lead to discoloration, clotting, and tingling or abnormal sensation.
Preventing Woodworking Hand Injuries
Avoiding prolonged gripping of tools with the elbow extended can be helpful to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive wrist and hand injuries. Try to avoid pounding or pressure on the palm to assist with prevention of hand injury.
Always take rest breaks when using power tools for extended periods of time and avoid extreme flexion or extension of the wrist and elbows for extended periods of time, to avoid nerve compression.
Remember to stretch wrists before and after power tool use to prevent tight muscles. Stretching for 30-60 seconds – both flexing and extending the wrist – should be sufficient to loosen muscles before woodworking.
Ensure that working conditions are warm enough, since cold temperatures can reduce mobility and cause increased stress to the hands. And, when wearing safety gloves, make sure they are well fitting and not loose – as loose gloves may actually “catch” within the saw, cutting the fingers.
Hand Doctor for Woodworking Injury | Detroit Area
Not all woodworking hand injuries may appear significant initially. And many professional and hobbyist woodworkers love their craft so much that they keep working in spite of increasing pain. But remember, even something as seemingly small as a splinter can have serious long-tern repercussions. It is important to keep an eye out for any signs or symptoms of tingling, swelling, pain inflammation, abnormal or decreased movement, and/or an infection.
If you are suffered from an injury or pain in your hand when woodworking, contact Detroit area hand doctor Uzma Rehman, MD for a comprehensive evaluation and consultation. As with most medical conditions, early detection, awareness, and a prevention or treatment plan is the most effective way to combat the effects of an injury to the hand.
Doctor Rehman will assess your individual situation, and prescribe the treatments that are best for your condition.
