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PSA: I just read a report that says over 60% of barbers have some kind of hand or wrist pain

I was looking at a health study for small business owners and it had a section on tradespeople. The number for barbers was way higher than I thought, like 62%. It said a lot of it comes from holding clippers and scissors the same way all day. I've been feeling a little ache in my thumb lately and now I'm thinking it's connected. What stretches or tools do you all use to keep your hands okay after a long week of cuts?

4 comments

4 Comments

beth1472mo ago

That number is actually scary. Paul, you mentioned forcing breaks, but how do you actually remember to do it when you're in the zone with a line out the door? I always tell myself I will and then completely forget until my hand is already locked up.

paul_ramirez2mo agoOG Member

Man, that stat hits way too close to home. My left hand was basically a claw after a full Saturday. What finally helped me was switching to those lighter, ergonomic clippers, and forcing myself to take a real break every two cuts to just shake my hands out like I'm trying to dry them off. It feels silly but it makes a huge difference.

matthew37119d ago

Our society basically trains people to ignore their own physical signals until something breaks. It's the same reason office workers destroy their backs sitting in bad chairs all day or why people blow out their knees by running through sharp pain. Takes something like this to remind us that our bodies aren't designed to do the same tiny motion for hours without asking for a break.

anthony_wright2mo ago

Oh perfect... just what I needed to read right as my wrist starts throbbing. Guess I'll add "future carpal tunnel victim" to my resume. Seriously though, that number is wild but it makes total sense... we're basically doing the same tiny, precise motions for hours. I started doing these really simple finger stretches between clients, just pulling each finger back gently. It sounds dumb but it helps a lot more than I thought it would.