Hand Cramps -- "The Claw"

[tesi1]

sore hands

sore hands

i have worked in this trade for approx 40 years, and the one thing i can say
is the copper wire of today is just short of being medium drawn, not soft
drawn as it use to be, when working on a building 30 or 40 years old, and
remaking a joint the wire twist easily and folds back into the box easily,
not like this hard drawn crapp the manufactuers of today produce.
if the manufactuers and the standards writers for these products had
to work with it every day they would produce a better product.
the wire is stiffer, the insulation is stiffer, and the end results from this
is a poorer quality job with poorer connections.

 

[fondini]

I'm 6-3 and 175.........and run every day. I just laugh at my fat ass boss who talks about losing weight all of the time and then sends his driver off for donuts or mc ducks. He sucks down the cokes as well.

To those who are fat? Don't eat so damn much.

dont be hatin

 

[jmellc]

I'm 52, have "trigger finger" where some fingers can't close all the way without snapping, same to open up again. I still manage, have to hold things different. Fortunately, I can still hold side cutters ok and grip wirenuts with them if needed. In fact, I've always done that to some degree for tighter splices.

I get steroid injections in my fingers sometimes, they help a little. Parrafin dip is some help too. Parrafin/water mix, heat to whatever temp instructions give and dip hands in it several times. Builds up layers of parrafin, forces heat to your joints. Loosens up the hands a little and greatly eases the pain. My shoulders, knees, elbows and feet hurt too, another story for later.

 

[jmellc]

You may have a point, I somehow haven't noticed that from old to new. I have seen some wires harder than others. But the insulation on NM cable makes up the difference. A lot of the old plastic cable from 70's has a very stiff and tough jacket, hard to split with a knife. Most NM today is easy to split, but still tough enough for protection. Doesn't seem to stiffen with age as much either. And most NM is a little smaller diameter than just a few years ago. Every little bit helps. I also like the "sim pull" coating on some NM and the newer square or flat 14/3 and 12/3 I'm seeing out there now. I never liked the wires twisted as they always were in 3 wire cable. Makes cable too stiff and curly.

 

[PetrosA]

At 40 yrs. old, I was thinking that something was seriously wrong with me until I saw this thread but over the years I kept it to myself mostly. By 22, I had been doing electrical work for 4 years full time and another 4 part time in school and my hands already were beat to hell and hurt me most days. That's when I moved overseas and started running a coffee house. Pounding the portafilter in and out of the machine (espresso machine) seemed easier on my hands for a few years, then I started to get really bad pain from the repetition and tried all kinds of tricks like beefing up the handles with radiator hose.

Nowadays I only use cushion-handled tools and I try (as much as possible) to use the impact driver instead of twisting screws by hand. I also buy textured wirenuts when I can. I'll try the vinegar when the cramps get bad. It sounds like it might help.

 

[TwinCitySparky]

If I'm doing a lot of splices, by afternoon I will use my needle nose visegrips to lightly lock onto the wirenut from the top. It grabs 3M tan/reds perfectly. Heavier duty than that plastic spinner deal. Works great for me.

 

[milehiwire]

dont be hatin

Never........... He is a great friend...... I laugh at him and he has right to laugh at me.

 

[highline]

But..... if you also have occasoinal tinglng down the outside of the hands and arms you -might- have a C6 pinched nerve. Often comes, I'm told by my doc., that spending lots of time with your head bent back will do this. Like working on ceiling fixtures... If you do have this tingling, please see a doctor.

After my whole arm went numb I finaly had to have surgery in '93. Arms been fine since but cant't look up for extended periods of time.

 

[highline]

I'm 52, have "trigger finger" where some fingers can't close all the way without snapping, same to open up again. I still manage, have to hold things different. Fortunately, I can still hold side cutters ok and grip wirenuts with them if needed. In fact, I've always done that to some degree for tighter splices.

I get steroid injections in my fingers sometimes, they help a little. Parrafin dip is some help too. Parrafin/water mix, heat to whatever temp instructions give and dip hands in it several times. Builds up layers of parrafin, forces heat to your joints. Loosens up the hands a little and greatly eases the pain. My shoulders, knees, elbows and feet hurt too, another story for later.

I get it in the thumb and have to force it to unlock sometimes. The shot helps but it still locks up if bent wrong. At 61 it's the least of the problems.

 

[cschmid]

I have had braces made for my hands long time ago because of the start to carpal tunnel. I use them only when I feel the pain lightly during the day.

I have always drank warm water even on hot days. leave water on dash in winter or in thermos. Just for the record warm equals room temp. in thermos in winter equals plain tap what ever temp that is..

I do not use pain pills as I have a side effect to pain relievers that causes my face to swell called Angioedema.

Definitely want to avoid MSG, High fructose corn syrups, hydrogenated soy oils and other test tube made products as your body does not digest them properly as we age.

I use screw gun when ever possible and do hand exercises and even some push ups just to keep hand and arms strengthened, Oh and I am no small boy as I am 5'8 and 210 lbs, just for the record I have 18" biceps so I am little over weight but yet muscle weights more then fat. I also control my diabetes with diet and exercise. my A1C are 5.7 so I do okay.

But my knees hurt more then my hands and my hands hurt very seldom. I have knee pads and pads for the floor. I actually carry a small stool with me now that has wheels on it (one from the parts house that mechanics use).

When I feel kink in my neck I go to chiropractor and get adjusted couple times good for couple months. Dang it the golden years are for the doctors gold from me. I wonder how it ever got coined as the golden years..

 

[cowboyjwc]

The one I used to hate is the one I call the "gun fighter" when your hand cramps so bad that you suck it up to your chest and you tool goes flying. Always reminded me of when they shot the gun out of some guys hand.

Was hanging a light fixtrue one time and my shoulder kind of poped. After that I always had a hard time holding my arms up for very long. Hanging a light or doing anything over my head for very long would just bring a tear to my eye.

 

[W=EI]

The Claw Cure

The Claw Cure

YES there is a cure. My hands would lock up. I would get so frustrated. Yes Gatorade helps...drink it all day long. THE CURE is Indian legend...TONIC WATER...tastes bad but force 8 oz. down every day and ALL cramps will stop even those nasty leg cramps. It is the quinine in tonic water an old remedy for malaria...remember gin and tonic...I buy the sugar-free bottles in the Publix grocery.
I am glad to be of service and actually relieved to see how many others have this cramping problem...I thought it was just my old hands...
My brother swears by a bar of soap under the covers at the foot of his bed but I have never tried it...

 

[Teaspoon]

Sometimes my fingers draw backwards. Especially after a lot of bending and shapeing wires. & making splices. Like when making up Panel. Seems to hurt me worse on Change outs. Pulling all the wires out of the old panel, then back into new panel and reconnecting. Also leg cramps bad on those days up and down the ladder all day.

 

[flashlight]

Spent the weekend shoveling snow in the Catskills, would rather be twisting wires any day...
Thanks for all the suggestions, have started drinking a lot more (water)

 

[mivey]

YES there is a cure. My hands would lock up. I would get so frustrated. Yes Gatorade helps...drink it all day long. THE CURE is Indian legend...TONIC WATER...tastes bad but force 8 oz. down every day and ALL cramps will stop even those nasty leg cramps. It is the quinine in tonic water an old remedy for malaria...remember gin and tonic...I buy the sugar-free bottles in the Publix grocery.
I am glad to be of service and actually relieved to see how many others have this cramping problem...I thought it was just my old hands...
My brother swears by a bar of soap under the covers at the foot of his bed but I have never tried it...

OK. I'll try the tonic water if I can't find a tablet. The soap does not work for my leg cramps.

 

[flashlight]

I am 25 years old but I have the hands of a grandpa:grin:

Just out of curiosity, did you play a lot of sports as a youth ?

I remember my wrists always being taped during high school sports.

 

[wireddd]

After a whole day of wirenutting the following morning I am unable to open my hands completely for about 1 hour after waking up.
After 42 years in the trade joints just wear out.

 

[220/221]

Man, you guys are old :roll:

 

[LarryFine]

Man, you guys are old :roll:

Eh, sonny?

 

[TwinCitySparky]

Man, you guys are old :roll:

I remember saying that about ten years ago. Funny how time passes by so much quicker every year as we age.

Don't blink your eyes. It's coming for you.


- Merry Christmas everyone!!!!.