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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User






I haven't been in the hobby for over a decade and am planing to get back to the painting table. The wife and kids are planing an out of state trip that I'm not able to attend. So I had the idea of digging my stuff out of the garage and taking over the living room for a week. I get back and shoulder pain like I'm sure a lot of painters get but what is worse for me is the cramping in the muscle between my thumb and wrist on the palm side of my hand. When I'm filing or scraping flash, working with green stuff, pining, clipping. The pain can become unbearable. Like I said, I have been out of the hobby for many years and I'm anticipating even more cramping since those muscles haven't been worked in a long time. I'll work them out as best I can with regular hand exercises I've seen online. Maybe get a stress ball or something. Am I alone in this? Have any of you had the severe cramping while building, converting, modeling? I look foreword to your replies.
   
Made in us
Rampaging Furioso Blood Angel Dreadnought





Boston, MA

I can't help you with most of that. I have the same issues, even just holding a regular toothbrush long enough to finish cleaning my teeth (I use electric whenever possible!)...

So for brush painting, I don't know how to help, though I've found I have less issue with thicker handles. My Winsor & Newtons have thick handles and I add tape to make them thicker.

But one thing that has made my hobby life a lot easier, the Pistol Grip Neo Airbrush. There are plenty of good Pistol Grip airbrushes, but I only have experience with the Neo and I love it. Airbrushing is worse than the rest for my hands, but not with the pistol grip.

Please check out my photo blog: http://atticwars40k.blogspot.com/ 
   
Made in us
Did Fulgrim Just Behead Ferrus?





Fort Worth, TX

I sometimes get cramps in my hand, too. I figure it's just the cost of getting older.

"Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see.
One chants out between two worlds: Fire, walk with me."
- Twin Peaks
"You listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method... is love. I love you Sheriff Truman." - Twin Peaks 
   
Made in gb
Beast of Nurgle



u.k

Gladly this sort of cramp is not in my list of physical complaints, if we had shared complaints I could probably advise you with those. I have got one suggestion though, some sort of wrist protection like a typist may use or something. Perhaps use a localised anti-inflammatory cream such as Diclofenac!!
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter






I get leg cramps when i sit down tooooooooooo long working on stuff.

but otherwise my fingers are fine thank god.

with all the work and stuff i do on the computer id hate to get joint problems.

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
 Scott-S6 wrote:
And yet another thread is hijacked for Unit to ask for the same advice, receive the same answers and make the same excuses.

Oh my god I'm becoming martel.
Send help!

 
   
Made in de
Kovnik






Do you get those cramps in both hands?
I like to put minis on a surface that allows to hold them with more comfort but getting cramps as bad as you describe is not normal for the simple use of a brush...
Are you sure that you hold the brushes in a semi decent way? I know that kids get cramps in their hands while learning to write because they hold the pens wrong and use too much force, maybe you should have a stern look on the way that you hold your tools.
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User







@Alamandra, I do have carpel tunnel syndrome and while that is another pain to deal with in another area, my main complaint is the muscle. Looking online it's the Pollisis group that attach to the thumb. I will however use my wrist braces and see if that helps.

@Tommse, In both hands to varying degrees. I don't get the pain while painting but almost exclusively while modeling. Trimming flash mainly. I may be a bit OCD as far as model prep is concerned but I don't think that can be helped. I do get what I would consider normal stiffness and sore muscles from painting though.

I work at a table that is higher up. A work bench I designed to be used while standing and siting. I also built my own chair. I have the sitting portion of an office chair attached to it. I call it my golden throne. It really helps with the back and shoulder strain.

I found these exercises online and I'm trying them out now. Perhaps I can strengthen the muscles and relieve some of the problem.

http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/ss/slideshow-hand-finger-exercises
   
Made in us
Nurgle Predator Driver with an Infestation






Queen Creek, AZ

I get hand cramps when doing extended work on miniatures, or writing like a cave man with pen and paper. Mine is more grip strength and pain across that back of my hand (mainly my right hand, got it smashed in a door, good thing I'm a lefty)

For trimming flash and mold lines have you tried using jewelers files? I get a cheap set from Harbor Freight and they work pretty well.

I find that rotating jobs between assembly, prepping, and painting to ensure I'm not doing the same task for too long.
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User






@Maddok_Death, I'm something of a hoarder when it comes to my modeling tools. I have loads of files, dental tools, xacto sets. I think it's going to come down to strengthening the muscle. I am surprised no one else has experienced it. But, as I said, I am a bit obsessive about model prep. Harbor freight is a great place to shop for hobby tools. I got both my airbrushes there. One was 20$ and the other 40$. Funny story, I had recently bought a set of probes that I thought would work great for sculpting green stuff. And they did. Super cheap. Set of 5 various configurations. I think it was 3.99$. Not long after I stoped at my local GW store for some spray primer. I saw the same tool in GW packaging. Just the one I had liked for green stuff. The price was something like 15$. For just the one tool. Not a set like harbor freight had. The best part was it was exactly the same. It even had the manufacturers name machined on the side.
   
Made in gb
Splattered With Acrylic Paint



South Wales

I was getting cramps in my hands and, on the advice of a friend, I started taking a magnesium supplement.

I took it for a couple of months, but when I stopped the cramps came back. So I started taking it again for another two months. After that the cramps haven't come back.

The one I was taking was pure magnesium, but there are other electrolytes that can affect muscle cramps, such as sodium and potassium.

The very best advice is to be sure that you are properly hydrated. Drink plenty of water. If that doesn't help, you can try drinks with electrolytes in them, such as sport drinks. Then maybe start looking at supplements.

I hope you find something that helps. It was affecting my model building and painting, and using my computer. I am a musician, and it was also affecting that. It is very frustrating.

 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User






Great tip King. Thanks!
   
Made in us
Imperial Recruit in Training




USA-MA

I get cramps sometimes particularly from extended use of the hobby knife or paint brush. Occasionally I apply a cooling gel called Biofreeze. Most pharmacies should sell it.
   
 
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