hurting hand

[jeanine]

This is maybe not the right place to ask but I wondered if anyone had had the same problem and knew what to do about it.

At the moment I have to draw 8 hours a day (Bachelor thesis in Art College plus commissions) and after that my hand really hurts in the evening.
Is there something one can do, like a super secret trick how to hold the pencil? I mean, there must be a lot of people out there who draw as a full time job, how do they manage?

Or can anyone recommend an ointment?:(

I tried using the left hand and it works quite well for tiny watercolour details but not for sketching..

[Zindy]

I know exactly how you feel as I often get a lot of pain in my hand when drawing for long periods at a time. Unfortunately I don't think there anything you can do than have breaks and try to stretch out your hands regularly, there is different exercises. I often do the top ones here:
http://www.stretchnow.com.au/resources/exercises/hands-exercise

When I draw almost non stop for weeks my hand get all stiff and has small lumps, which is very uncomfortable.

I don't know of any tricks to this other than having breaks and try not to overuse your hand, which is very difficult to actually follow when you got a deadline and things need to be done.

[Moldova]

I can sympathize with you because the same thing happens to me. As Zindy said, the only thing that would make your hand feel better is resting it. However, being in art school doesn't make that very possible, I'm sure.

I'm no doctor, but I'd recommend the RICE method.
Rest
Ice
Compress
Elevate

I'd alternate between icing your hand and using a hot compress. The ice will reduce any inflammation that you probably have, even if there is no visible swelling. The heat will relax tense muscles (they tense up from repetitive use which also causes the inflammation.) Doing this before you go bed would be a good idea. I'd also take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, like Advil.

As for an ointment, the problem is inside your hand so I can't think of anything that would heal something from the inside by applying it to the outside of your hand. However, Biofreeze does come to mind for relieving the pain. I use it for backpain and any other pain I might have. It's kind of an ointment. You apply it to the painful area and it gives it a cooling, almost tingly sensation -- but not painful! It's very relaxing. The only thing is that it irritates your eyes so after applying you must wash your hands well.

It isn't very expensive. I found it on Amazon here for less than $8.
http://www.amazon.com/BIOFREEZE-Pain-Relieving-ILEX-4-Ounce/dp/B002J9HBX4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1332522534&sr=8-5

They have different application methods, spray-ons, roll-ons etc. but this is just the regular tube.

I think a combo of the RICE method and the Biofreeze would help you out quite a bit! I do hope it starts feeling better soon! :D ♥

[jeanine]

Thank you, it's very kind of you to help:)

Zindy, I will do the exercises regularely now!
Maria, I started cooling the hand and it's very relaxing indeed.
I think you're right, this and some more rest is the way to go.
As long as the pain still goes away after resting I don't worry that much.

[Cold Shiva]

Didn't happen to me. A certain way of typing hurts my hands too. What you can do is use a protecting sheet and lay your arm sideways, so the side of your hand rests. Then take another pencil over thumb-under pointer-over midfinger and cross it with your drawing pencil. This way you don't squeeze your hand and you get more stability. I use it and call it the X-hold. I take short breaks too. It reliefs you from the muscles of your top palm and let the pointer (guider) and middlefinger (rester) do more the job instead.

[jeanine]

Thank you Mike, I knew there had to be super secret trick how to hold the pencil, thank you for sharing! :D I had to try out a bit until I understood the description but know I got it and it works.

[Cold Shiva]

Well it is no trick or so. I just wanted a better stabilization, so I just copied a movement of a seismograph, looking at the circle my hand makes. I just lay a blanc sheet underneath my drawing, so I can turn it and maneuver it in the position it works comfortable. I use the X-hold especially for the hair to deliver the sophisticated strokes. I have much more control then the regular and coincidental "hit"-rate.

Make it yourself as comfortable as possible...:aww:

[Moldova]

Didn't happen to me. A certain way of typing hurts my hands too. What you can do is use a protecting sheet and lay your arm sideways, so the side of your hand rests. Then take another pencil over thumb-under pointer-over midfinger and cross it with your drawing pencil. This way you don't squeeze your hand and you get more stability. I use it and call it the X-hold. I take short breaks too. It reliefs you from the muscles of your top palm and let the pointer (guider) and middlefinger (rester) do more the job instead.
Hey Mikey! I was wondering, could you take a picture of the X-hold? I'm having trouble visualizing it and I work well from images!
My hand has begun to fatigue after school work and then drawing so I wanted to try your method out!
I have always squeezed the pencil really hard, so hard in fact that my middle finger developed this bump from where the pencil touches it. It's been there since I've learned to write so squeezing the pencil has been a childhood thing ;D