Carpal Tunnel

Hi,
I’m a compute science student (i.e. a lot of keyboard work) so CTS is an issue (they even have posters up in the computer labs at school). I don’t have them because they are a little expensive (I think about 15 bucks each at Staples) but some students wear these special gloves to help out with it. They look like bicycle gloves (no fingers) and I guess they work by immobilizing your wrists (plus they look really cool!). I don’t know if it will help if you already have CTS but maybe you could wear them while you do your chores – couldn’t hurt.

__________________
-Gypsy

Ok....I've been thinking more about this. I guess I simply have to find a way to get rid of buckets, period.

I once saw a deal where a man had rigged up a shop-vac to move grain on his farm. I can't find the web-site again. I'm thinking if I could make something like this, I could just take my gravity wagon out to the chickens, then use the vacuum to suck the feed out and fill the feeders....just use the hose. Is something like that possible? If not a vacuum, than maybe an air compressor to blow the feed along a large hose? If I moved the wagon as I fed, I could keep the distance down to 10-15 feet.

I did email the folks at shop vac to see if they have a unit that will suck and blow at the same time. I think the guy who did this, did some kind of modification to his shop-vac though...I don't know. I'm not that good mechanically.

Another idea is to switch to letting the chickens range outside in an electric net and just use a bulk hog feeder to let them eat. Open the doors in the morning (as Ken suggested) and close them at night when I don't want them eating. I have plenty of hog feeders laying around here. The drawback is I would probably have more predator losses since I can't protect them from flying things that way. I'd also have to put out the money for more electric net, but I can do that.

I have considered the yoke thing, but I think that I would be trading problems. I can't see being able to maintain good posture while having a yoke. I think I'd end up with screwed up neck, shoulders, back in exchange for my hands. I'll give it a try though...see what I have laying around to experiment with.

My buckets typically weigh 22-28 pounds. I feed about 150 pounds of feed in the pasture, but that will go up to about 350-400 pounds at the peak of my capacity.

My last ditch effort will be to contact AgrAbility. Just in case someone needs these guys and doesn't know about it...they help disabled farmers continue to work. They work with universities and engineers to come up with different technologies to accomodate folks with disabilities. I feel kind of dumb contacting them over carpal tunnel (I know a farmer who has no arms...now that is a disability!), but they might have a solution for me. I'm pretty sure they would at least offer some good ideas.

Thanks for the input on surgery and also the attention getting lectures. Creative ideas are great too!

Thanks
Jena

I'm wondering if you really have CT (which is usually from repetitive motion at an unnatural angle - such as typing). I'm wondering if you really don't have stretched out tendons/ligaments instead - something like tendonitis (spelling?) in your wrists instead from carrying the heavy buckets. If the latter, all you may need is more or less complete rest for at least six months. To my knowledge surgury will not help tendonitis. You might want a second opinion.

Ken S. in WC TN

Ken,

My daughter is a chiropractor and has taught classes on CTS. She told me that many different activities can cause CTS not just repetitive micromotion. CTS is the result of tendonitis. Any avtivity or motion that inflames the tendons (tendonitis) that pass through the carpal tunnel would be suspect. The inflamed tendons swell to a larger diameter than healthy tendons. These inflamed tendons then take up all the extra space within the carpal tunnel. This causes the nerves and blood vessels that also pass through the carpal tunnel on their way to the hand to be squeezed and pinched.

The numbess you feel and the loss of hand control you experience is a result of the nerves being pinched. The reduced bloodflow causes everything in the hand to starve, atrophy, and eventually die. CTS is a very serious condition whose end result without treatment is the total loss of the use of your hand(s). It's basically a very slow form of amputation.

BTW, I love your eBook. Had it for a couple years now. Thanks for writing it and making it available.

Steve

__________________
__________________________________________________
Get cash back on your online shopping including eBay purchases!
Please use my referral link: BigCrumbs.com
Then refer your friends and earn money!

I have carpal tunnel and have used wrist splints for years on my right wrist while keyboarding and on both wrists at night. I have a lot of loss of strength in my "pinch" and continuing pain. My doctor didn't especially encourage surgery although he said I had carpal tunnel and arthritis in my wrists. He made me angry by insisting I take arthritis medication that I had already tried and that gave me stomach problems so I've never gone back -- over ten years ago now. I also have degenerative disks in my neck and when I lift anything heavy I will have pain down both arms and serious pain in my wrists and hands. You should not assume that your problem is "just" carpal tunnel and have surgery without further investigation.

__________________
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

My neighbor is getting surgery on Tuesday. They wanted to also do arthritis surgery, but she is holding off on that. She is going to be awake! That is amazing to me.