I've been laid up since Christmas, more or less, with blacksmiths elbow (sounds better than tennis elbow, somehow). I've been resting it, wearing a strap and taking anti-inflamitories. Anyone have any OTHER ideas on what to do? I've got about a dozen knives hanging fire, including my test knives for my Journeyman test. Any help, or sympathy, much appreciated.

Geoff

5 Elements Forge

Cool and stormy in the Great NorthWet

Physiotherapy would be my best suggestion for long term cure after instant relief. Ice packs work well also. Correct anvil height, good handles and no overweight hammers all help. Anvilfire has some good stuff on this problem. Anti inflamatories were more trouble than their worth for me. Bands that change the angle of pull of the muscle relative to the bone have some long term benefit but remember it is basically an uveruse injury. I hope you are able to beat it one way or another.

I use a Calcium - Magnesium supplement from "Natural Vitality". They are in California - (213) 660-5539. I use it every night - helps me sleep. If I get sore muscles or joints, I use it morning and night - it helps.

Michael

In my early days of blacksmithing/bladesmithing, I was afflicted with this. I was so gung-ho that I would literally wake up in the mornings with my right arm doubled up, and couldn't move it! The wife would lather me up with ben-gay and I would try to work some more. After a while, and after talking to several farrier friends, I finally figured out that it was my poor hammering technique that was the cause. I was gripping my blacksmithing hammers as one would a framing hammer.........WRONG THING TO DO! One gentleman told me....."Son, if you keep doing it that way, your gona be crippled by the time your 40!" It took me a few weeks of practice, but I learned to manipulate the hammers without having a death grip on them.
The trick being to let the hammer handle "float" in your hand, gripping only occassionally to make minor angle corrections. Basically you hold the hammer handle in a manner where only your first and middle fingers are touching your thumb, creating sort of a loose collar where the hammer handle rides. The heel of your hand provides most of the guidance. After you build up a blister, and then a callouse on that part of your hand, it works great. The technique can also make a 2lb hammer, seem like it's doing the work of a 4lb hammer!
I have seen a few folks who had a problem with this, no matter what they did, and have finally gone the cortisone shot route. I've never been much on the needle thing, and with the technique I've described, I hope I don't have to go that route! Once you get healed up, try changing your technique, and see if that might help solve the problem. Take Care for now!!

I was in contact with Wayne Goddard last week, I knew he had surgery for carpol tunnel syndrom. I was thinking it was quite a while ago, but he's going threw therapy now. If I remember right he said once the left one is healed up he is going to have the right one done. One thing he had said to me was that some problems get to the point where they can't even be fixed with surgery.
I've been a carpenter for most my adult life and making knives for the last seven years. I'd much rather make knives for a living. When my arm is to sore from forging I'll do stock removal, it doesn't much matter to me as long as I'm able to make knives.

Geoff,a number of years ago,my elbows and hands hurt so bad that I could'nt wring out a washcloth,the croaker kept trying to RX,corrosive meds which I cannot take,so I lived w/ the pain,until I took my neighbors advice and paid a visit to a D.O.,he crunched my neck and back.Pain was gone b4 I left his office.Pinched nerves in the neck/upper back can cause severe pain in elbows,hands etc.Before the Osteopath,Dr's kept telling me it was arthritis,BS.Hope this helps you,and hope you get some relief from the pain. Mike.

Hey Corbus,

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp And everyone else... I did an independant study in Health and Safety in the Metals studio at Maine College of Art. I've seen more than one person need surgery inorder to continue their Art. I'd have to say the single best preventatives here have mostly been mentioned. First in this case is proper hammer use... think of yourself as throwing the hammer, not hitting with it. The weight and speed are doing the moving, not the power behind the hammer.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Also often overlooked is simple stretching. Stop once an hour and stretch your entire body... no matter what kind of work you are doing- forging, grinding (very tense) filing etc. This *really* reduces repetitive stresses, tight muscles and tendons are just waiting to get pulled.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp A complimentary exercise like biking, swimming or the like also helps (and helps prevent) repetitive stress injuries. Personally I do a martial arts routine of stretching and hopefully I'll be able to pick the practice itself back up soon, 'cause I sure hurt less when I was getting regular exercise.

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp As for the already injured, stretching, heat and ibuprofen (muscle relaxant) seem to help me the best...

Good luck and good health...

-J. Loose
www.jloose.com (http://www.jloose.com)