Tendonitis: Solutions from a Bodybuilder's Perspective
by David Borenstein
Making maille is a physically taxing task, and should be treated as such.
I'm a relative newcomer when it comes to maille (started about 18 months ago, have made 1
hauberk and 1 coif) and you probably have more experience than me. What I can tell you about is
your body and how to care for it in rigorous activity.
These techniques have served me well, and I would appreciate feedback. I wouldn't be surprised if
other folks have come up with other stretches and exercises to help their hands and wrists for
maille.
The first advice I would give is to stop making maille the moment you feel a tendon pull, and don't
work on it until after it's healed (which may take a while). It will slow down the healing, increase the
chances of a repeat incident, and will come back to haunt you in your golden years. It's very
important not to further an injury.
In general, stretching is very important to being able to tax your body without residual effects,
especially for repetitive motion. It's too bad I can't illustrate the following, but I'll try to describe as
best I can.
Your working with your wrists when you make maille, and apparently they're giving you the trouble.
(I have trouble with my fingers, but everyone is different.) The following are all good wrist stretches,
to be practiced before and after working, as well as every day you do not work to maintain
flexibility. Read the whole stretch before you attempt it. DO NOT stretch when injured!
Pre-stretch:
Before you stretch, this action will loosen up your tendons and joints, preventing injury and allowing
greater freedom of movement.
1. Extend your arms in front of you.
2. Make fists with your hands and hold them.
3. Without moving any other part of your body, rotate your wrists.
4. Reverse directions after awhile.
You can also try this without fists and see how it feels.
Do this as long as you want: it's not taxing, really. I think it feels good. It will "burn" like weightlifting
or stretching (I find it does the most between my thumb and my wrist), but it shouldn't cause pain. If
it does, stop immediately.
"Inside out stretch":
1. Extend your arms in front of you, palms facing each other.
2. Cross the right hand over the left so your arms make an X. Your palms should now face out.
3. Turn your hands around so they face each other.
4. Interlock your fingers.
5. With your hands interlocked, SLOWLY bend your arms at the elbow and bring your hands
downward and toward yourself, and continue up and outward until you feel a light stretch. (The
inside of your elbows, when flexible enough, will face out at this point, thus the name.) DO NOT
OVERSTRETCH.
6. Reverse this process so that your hands are in the position from step four.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 about five times, depending on your preference. I like to do it many times.
Now, release your hands and repeat the process, except this time put your left hand over your right.
Again, avoid overstretching.
"Stop Stretch":
There are two variants of this stretch, and which one you use is a matter of personal preference. The
fingers apart stretches more, I find. The name comes from the fact that when doing this stretch, you
look like a traffic director.
1. Stand up, feet shoulder width apart.
2. Bend your knees a little to center yourself. (Martial artists: center on your hara.)
3. Extend your arms fully to the sides as far as they can go.
4a. Start with your palms horizontal, fingers close together.
- OR -
4b. Start with your palms horizontal, fingers spread as far apart as possible.
5. Never bending your arms or any part of body but the wrist, bend your wrist upward as far as you
can stretch it, hold for a moment, then return to straightened arms.
Do this one at least seven times or until you are comfortable.
Don't bother leaving this position, because it's used in the next stretch, too.
Fan stretch:
This stretch helps the wrist and fingers, which is very good for the maillemaker.
1. Follow steps 1-3 of the stop stretch.
2. Fingers close together, arms unbent, bend your wrist upwards as far as you can and stay in that
position.
3. Open your fingers as wide as you can, hold that for a brief moment, and close again.
Repeat step 3 as many times as you feel comfortable. I don't specify a number of times because it
has to do with how long you can maintain the stop stretch and how quickly you move your fingers,
so it's different for everyone.
Another important thing to consider is muscular training. When muscles are overly taxed, they are
not as precise and controlled as they normally are and this taxes the tendons. Maintaining wrist
strength is imperative to painless maille-making.
One wrist exercise is to take a pair of light dumbells (whatever weight feels right for you) and do
the following. Start out very light, like 3 pound or 5 pound weights, and move up slowly to a level
that you're comfortable with. Better safe than sorry.
(For reference: I use 12 or 15 lb weights, but I've seen people pull muscles with 8 lbs. Experienced
armorers will have strong wrists to begin with, but start light anyway.)
Drape your arms over a bench or other WELL PADDED surface with NO SHARP EDGES (very
important!) so that your wrists, hands, and a few inches of forearm extend over the surface. Ideally,
the surface is level with your shoulders (it doesn't matter if you sit or stand) for comfort's sake.
Take your weights in each hand from here and let your wrist bend downward, then slowly lift up until
they are straight with your arms (do not bend further upward). Repeat about ten times.
The other excercise requires no instructions, just the right instrument. Buy a hand-grip strengthener
(the things with one prong for your fingers and another for your thumb that you squeeze) from a
sports store. Use it when you're not making maille so that your muscles don't atrophy. DO NOT use
it, though, when you're injured.
If you're suffering from chronic tendonitis, it's
best to ask a doctor, because nothing I've told you here is going to help if that's the case.
I have not tried icing, but I'm sure it helps. Between these and icing, you're a sure bet.
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