OT: Hand pain

Don Y · 2015-12-05T21:39:21+00:00

Last week, I noticed some pain in my right hand. I attributed it to the baking I was doing ("stirring" viscous dough with a wooden spoon). I had been doing a LOT so figured my hands were just tired (it is pretty strenuous). Today, after just ONE batch of biscotti, the pain has returned. ("pain" is a poor choice of word; more like discomfort... a feeling I could live with -- if necessary -- but would much prefer NOT to!) But, I can't figure out *where* in my hand the "discomfort" originates. It's not knuckles (I'm familiar with aching joints from having munged a few fingers over the years). It's more like the "meat" of the palm. But, I think it actually *is* the "meat" (flesh) and not the underlying bones. Again, probably related to holding the 1/2" diameter shaft of the wooden spoon in my palm and forcing the spoon through the dough for 20-30 minutes at a time. So, this puts the marketing of all those "large/wide handled" utensils in proper perspective! I guess (old?) palms don't like to be clenched as tightly? Preferring a more "open" use? If this is indeed the case (i.e., I'm getting old :< ), then how is the larger grip making things less "painful"? Spreading the load over a larger surface? Allowing my palm to be "less clenched"? etc. Is the pain actually *in* my flesh? Or, is that just what it seems like?

Dec 05, 2015 55 Replies

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Don Y 10 years ago

I don't know if it is lack of strength, inability to "close a fist", or something else... but, it seems like manual dexterity suffers with age. I have no problems with small caps (1") *or* large (4") but many of my friends have problems with both these extremes.

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Muggles 10 years ago

hmmm I have small hands and short fingers, so I don't have much of a grip when it comes to larger bottle caps or even jars, for that matter. Do you think size of hands has anything to do with it?

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Don Y 10 years ago

For large diameter, sure. But, that "problem" would exist from adolescence, etc.

For *small* diameter, though, small hands shouldn't pose a problem. Indeed, larger hands can get in the way for smaller diameters (forcing the user to use fingertips instead of the length of the finger)

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Muggles 10 years ago

I had a similar problem with my small hands and short fingers when I played guitar.

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rbowman 10 years ago

You're not left handed are you? When they first came out with the twist off caps on beer bottles I seemed to have more problems than my friends. After thinking about it (and getting the bottle open) I realized it was like pipe wrenches or ChanelLoks. As you twist counterclockwise with your right hand, it pulls your thumb into the cap; left handed it tends to push your thumb away.

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