For Wedding photogs : How to alleviate wrist and fingers strain.

[2100]

Hie bros and shifus,

Can I ask how do you guys alleviate the strain to the wrist and in particular the fingers after shooting for long? Any tips?

If it's 1 normal day 10hr shoot it's still ok, no problem. Problem is that just last week i was shooting for 3 consecutive days, and somemore one has got 6 hour additional-timing extension (so that's a friggin long 16-17 hour day shoot blur blur until 1AM). The extra $$ is great, but now my wrist and fingers are still arching....its healing and getting better but come to think of it....RSI is no fun should it become an issue and I spend $$$.

I have tried to use as much of my left hand to support, but it seems that my fingers are quite sensitive to grip....that's why the outer parts of my fingers (right hand) are arching. On Monday, I could barely grip my pen and write.

Tips are greatly appreciated....and thanks!

 

[kex]

how about wearing a glove?

change to a smaller camera or remove the grip if any.

no choice one la,occupational hazard.

 

[Deadpoet]

you probably have some tiny micro tears on some tissues, together with some small inflamation. What I do is ice down the hands and elbows immediately to stop teh inflamation. Then use heat treatment on affected areas.

Having the right equipment also helps. If camera is too small for your hand, the strains will be that much more on your fingers and hand.

 

[2100]

Kex, already using a light cam....D70 nia. So it could be my technique?

you probably have some tiny micro tears on some tissues, together with some small inflamation. What I do is ice down the hands and elbows immediately to stop teh inflamation. Then use heat treatment on affected areas.

Having the right equipment also helps. If camera is too small for your hand, the strains will be that much more on your fingers and hand.

Geez.....that sounds real scary man. Luckily there is no real swelling maciam like i sprain something like that. Luckily it's all over now and i can write as of yesterday. It's real scary when you grip the pen and you find that you cannot use much strength, the more strength you use the more "resistance" and pain you get. Like the cartilage locked like that.
Will try your method next time in the future.

 

[Deadpoet]

nothing to be scared of. actually, on your hands and arms, there are certain tissues, aligaments and tendons that suffer from micro tears all the time. That's why they hurt.

Swelling is something tht happens all the time too. Lots of strains and stress on a given part of your body, it will suffer from some swelling. Just look at a lot of the atheletes, wrapping those knees, angles, wrists, elbows in ice immediately after each game, and they are fine, out running and hitting the next day.

 

[2100]

Swelling is something tht happens all the time too. Lots of strains and stress on a given part of your body, it will suffer from some swelling. Just look at a lot of the atheletes, wrapping those knees, angles, wrists, elbows in ice immediately after each game, and they are fine, out running and hitting the next day.

Really, so effective? Then must go Guardian and buy gel ice-pack liao.... Dec is another mega-month, that one got 7 *faints* Maybe take MC after the tough ones. ;p ;p

 

[kex]

our right index finger must be damn strong after all the shooting and clicking of the mouse !

time to get it insured !hehehe..

 

[sammy888]

Hie bros and shifus,

Can I ask how do you guys alleviate the strain to the wrist and in particular the fingers after shooting for long? Any tips?

If it's 1 normal day 10hr shoot it's still ok, no problem. Problem is that just last week i was shooting for 3 consecutive days, and somemore one has got 6 hour additional-timing extension (so that's a friggin long 16-17 hour day shoot blur blur until 1AM). The extra $$ is great, but now my wrist and fingers are still arching....its healing and getting better but come to think of it....RSI is no fun should it become an issue and I spend $$$.

I have tried to use as much of my left hand to support, but it seems that my fingers are quite sensitive to grip....that's why the outer parts of my fingers (right hand) are arching. On Monday, I could barely grip my pen and write.

Tips are greatly appreciated....and thanks!

Can I know how long you have been shooting weddings and events? What equipment you use and how often you use them?

 

[Deadpoet]

Really, so effective? Then must go Guardian and buy gel ice-pack liao.... Dec is another mega-month, that one got 7 *faints* Maybe take MC after the tough ones. ;p ;p

Don't get ice gel, I found them not cold enough. Simply ice, in a plastic bag, works best.

 

[alechim]

problem because no vertical grip?

 

[reachme2003]

i face such muscular spasm on my wrist and between my thumb and index finger. i wonder if those Zing action strap helps?

Hie bros and shifus,

Can I ask how do you guys alleviate the strain to the wrist and in particular the fingers after shooting for long? Any tips?

If it's 1 normal day 10hr shoot it's still ok, no problem. Problem is that just last week i was shooting for 3 consecutive days, and somemore one has got 6 hour additional-timing extension (so that's a friggin long 16-17 hour day shoot blur blur until 1AM). The extra $$ is great, but now my wrist and fingers are still arching....its healing and getting better but come to think of it....RSI is no fun should it become an issue and I spend $$$.

I have tried to use as much of my left hand to support, but it seems that my fingers are quite sensitive to grip....that's why the outer parts of my fingers (right hand) are arching. On Monday, I could barely grip my pen and write.

Tips are greatly appreciated....and thanks!

 

[Witness]

yeah i tink a vert grip helps anot...or perhaps the ergonomics of tt cam dun really suit u.... well

alternatively...can juz do like gazillions of finger pushups daily ahahhaa...j/k j/k

cheers.

 

[destiny_star]

i face such muscular spasm on my wrist and between my thumb and index finger. i wonder if those Zing action strap helps?

i've tried the Zing strap on my friend's cam.. it's quite comfortable.. but setback would be on the vert grip side, u'll have to use back as per normal. (like all grips do) So fit onto the side which u'll use more often.

as for myself.. coz i've got a slightly bigger palm so basically i was kinda supporting with my fourth finger instead. and at the end of the day i kena blisters and hence a thicker skin formed on the tip, majiam like those fingers of a guitarist..

i've experienced the spasm as well.. same spots like u've mentioned.. but i try to stretch my hands whenever possible to relief it. hmm.. that reminds me of my bowling days.. :sweat:

 

[paradigm]

wonder if not shooting is one of the options ;p

anyway, hope that you heal well

 

[catchlights]

When I shoot with F90X with MB, I do use a Nikon hand strip, during that time I almost shoot everyday. Although my hands are tiring but never injured before.

D70 without a vertical grip is too risky use for long hours, I have the same problem before, and have to go for acupuncture to treat my fingers. The money should can get a vertical grip for D70, or a Nikon hand strip.


So I using D100 with vertical grip now, with 17~55 lens and SB800, this set up is a little heavy, but no more risk of injuring my fingers.

 

[reachme2003]

your solution is using the vertical grip? if yes, how does it help? my setup is almost the same as yours but without the grip though i own one.

When I shoot with F90X with MB, I do use a Nikon hand strip, during that time I almost shoot everyday. Although my hands are tiring but never injured before.

D70 without a vertical grip is too risky use for long hours, I have the same problem before, and have to go for acupuncture to treat my fingers. The money should can get a vertical grip for D70, or a Nikon hand strip.


So I using D100 with vertical grip now, with 17~55 lens and SB800, this set up is a little heavy, but no more risk of injuring my fingers.

 

[2100]

When I shoot with F90X with MB, I do use a Nikon hand strip, during that time I almost shoot everyday. Although my hands are tiring but never injured before.

D70 without a vertical grip is too risky use for long hours, I have the same problem before, and have to go for acupuncture to treat my fingers. The money should can get a vertical grip for D70, or a Nikon hand strip.

Hey Catchlights, how have you been doing.

Geez....with your experience in the diff bodies, that could be the problem, even though every person is physically different. I reckon I need to change da cam then. But as you know Nikon has been pretty stale! Where's the D200 man? Been waiting for it since last year end.

I have/had the notion that grip = heavy = no good. The strap idea is good, wa lao why have I not thought of that man....basket...sigh. But for D70 i think need to mount via the tripod socket if I want to add in a strap.

Sammy, actually I don't shoot much compared to professionals, working Mon-fri so I tend to choose the weekend jobs only lor. I have been shooting since last year on and off, but it's only at the beginning of this year that i really got into things (ie not due to year after year of stressing). Events are ok, 6-hr stretch at most and 2 consecutive days, short hrs. So its nothing much....for eg June I had 4 ADs, July one only. Last weekend was the killer with 3, Sep 11 one, Sep 18 one. Dec is another super bunched up month worse than this Sept so i'd better find a working solution fast.

All the videogs i talked to were down with super big eye bags and catching cat-naps in the cars, one counted for me that he has 8 consecutive jobs, and this month he probably took more than 15 jobs! I'm not physically weak either....

 

[xxxger]

Hie bros and shifus,

Can I ask how do you guys alleviate the strain to the wrist and in particular the fingers after shooting for long? Any tips?

If it's 1 normal day 10hr shoot it's still ok, no problem. Problem is that just last week i was shooting for 3 consecutive days, and somemore one has got 6 hour additional-timing extension (so that's a friggin long 16-17 hour day shoot blur blur until 1AM). The extra $$ is great, but now my wrist and fingers are still arching....its healing and getting better but come to think of it....RSI is no fun should it become an issue and I spend $$$.

I have tried to use as much of my left hand to support, but it seems that my fingers are quite sensitive to grip....that's why the outer parts of my fingers (right hand) are arching. On Monday, I could barely grip my pen and write.

Tips are greatly appreciated....and thanks!

ya ..... someone have mention to use vertical grip, when you intend to shoot with vertical format ... if not, just shoot hortrizontal format lor .... :heart:
Actually i believe, a more heavlier camera will make the camera more stable, so add in a vertical grip, .... is not bad idea lor ... :thumbsup:
i last week, sunday to sunday, have 7 actual-day wedding shoot, but is still alright, ... cos i dun shoot with vertical lor ... hehe
you try see how nexttime ... :kiss:

 

[Newman]

Hie bros and shifus,

Can I ask how do you guys alleviate the strain to the wrist and in particular the fingers after shooting for long? Any tips?

If it's 1 normal day 10hr shoot it's still ok, no problem. Problem is that just last week i was shooting for 3 consecutive days, and somemore one has got 6 hour additional-timing extension (so that's a friggin long 16-17 hour day shoot blur blur until 1AM). The extra $$ is great, but now my wrist and fingers are still arching....its healing and getting better but come to think of it....RSI is no fun should it become an issue and I spend $$$.

I have tried to use as much of my left hand to support, but it seems that my fingers are quite sensitive to grip....that's why the outer parts of my fingers (right hand) are arching. On Monday, I could barely grip my pen and write.

Tips are greatly appreciated....and thanks!

Brother, you need to rest lah. There is simply no remedy for such problems. I have suffered from such problems for a long time though not necessary from photography. Your wrist is suffering because you have to hold your cam in awkward positions especially when you don't use a grip. Your fingers are aching because the flexors in your arms are overstrained from gripping your cam too long or too tight. You should do some hand and finger exercises in between shoots such as light stretching and massaging your digits and wrist. Ice packs/gel will only relieve the pain temporary but the damage is still there. You may not shoot as often as pros but I don't think all the pros will shoot so many hours continuously. Anything that you do continuously for so many hours will definitely cause some damage. And there is no cure unless you replace your hands and arms with bionic ones of course.:bsmilie:
If you shoot vertically often, get a grip. Even though it's heavier, it helps to reduce wrist strain. Alternatively, you can hold the cam normally and bend your body 90 degrees but you'd look funny.:bsmilie: When you are not shooting, sling the cam on your shoulder and give your hand a rest. Alright, that's all I can say.;p

 

[user111]

simple

use a neckstrap or put it down on the floor