Wrist pain so soon?

[Blaire]

So I've gone out about 10-15 times for a couple hours each time. The past few times have been in the snow. I've notice that after I am done my digging wrist kills me for the rest of the day and part of the next day. I guess it is from digging in the semi-frozen ground. I'm sure some of you have encountered this as well.. Any suggestions on how to cope? I'm 23 so I know it isn't old age

 

[Pulltabby]

semi-frozen ground, not many hunt that type is my guess

hh

 

[airscapes]

Yup, hurt every time till I started using this to cut plugs

 

[Payloadjim]

Yes, from to hard of ground. But also your doing something your arms/body aren't use to. Don't over do it and let your wrist get stronger as you go along.

 

[T-Man]

Was swinging through about 4 inches of snow this past weekend for a couple of hours each morning and my shoulder was definately sore after using the coil as a plow to get under those couple of inches.

 

[OleSarge]

So I've gone out about 10-15 times for a couple hours each time. The past few times have been in the snow. I've notice that after I am done my digging wrist kills me for the rest of the day and part of the next day. I guess it is from digging in the semi-frozen ground. I'm sure some of you have encountered this as well.. Any suggestions on how to cope? I'm 23 so I know it isn't old age

Yep, wait till you're 70, like me and dig only on nice, sunny days. On the cold, damp, cloudy days when the ground is still frozen, sit at your computer, crank up FMDF and suggest things like this to get your metal detecting fix. Seriously, if your joints are in such poor condition that you're in pain from just digging, just wait until your knees kick in from kneeling on the cold ground. Pennies, nickels and dimes are cool, but MDing into your senior years is cooler. My sugestion is to use your common sense...If God wanted you to dig on sub-zero days, He would have given you a set of claws to do it with. Since you apparently don't have digging claws I suggest you use the colder days to scope out new areas to dig when the weather improves. Driving around on the colder days minimizes traffic congestion and allows more opportunity to turn around or stop to check out a potential gold mine. Lower vegetation will also allow seeing old foundations, remains of paths and cellar holes which will be concealed once the grass and vines start growing again.

AT Pro/GPP/Fiskars Diggers/BH Outback/CT hand held

 

[louie41]

I don't use a shovel like that in a park/lawn, just in fields or woods. If ground is to hard (frozen) I'm not hardcore enough to bother in the cold. What usually aches on me is lower back.

Me: Doc, it hurts here when I do this....

Doc: Then don't do that...

 

[Blaire]

My fiskars went through the ground well, it wasn't as if the ground was a block of ice. But alas, I am still a newb with a newly found addiction and I needed my fix I have scoped out some new areas. Was going to knock on their doors today, but sadly the back roads were a bit slick.

Yep, wait till you're 70, like me and dig only on nice, sunny days. On the cold, damp, cloudy days when the ground is still frozen, sit at your computer, crank up FMDF and suggest things like this to get your metal detecting fix. Seriously, if your joints are in such poor condition that you're in pain from just digging, just wait until your knees kick in from kneeling on the cold ground. Pennies, nickels and dimes are cool, but MDing into your senior years is cooler. My sugestion is to use your common sense...If God wanted you to dig on sub-zero days, He would have given you a set of claws to do it with. Since you apparently don't have digging claws I suggest you use the colder days to scope out new areas to dig when the weather improves. Driving around on the colder days minimizes traffic congestion and allows more opportunity to turn around or stop to check out a potential gold mine. Lower vegetation will also allow seeing old foundations, remains of paths and cellar holes which will be concealed once the grass and vines start growing again.


AT Pro/GPP/Fiskars Diggers/BH Outback/CT hand held

 

[Blaire]

This is very true... I need to md more to strengthen my swingin muscles!

Yes, from to hard of ground. But also your doing something your arms/body aren't use to. Don't over do it and let your wrist get stronger as you go along.

 

[Blaire]

Please tell me you at least found something good

Was swinging through about 4 inches of snow this past weekend for a couple of hours each morning and my shoulder was definately sore after using the coil as a plow to get under those couple of inches.

 

[T-Man]

Please tell me you at least found something good

Guess you have to define good. I found about a dozen headstamps (put in my collection I'm saving for Turtlefoot) as well as a handfull of old lead and rifle casings. Other then that nothing exciting. It's in an area I've pulled a merc and a couple of indians out of in the past couple of months so I'm hoping there is something else under the twisted honeysuckle jungle. Need to hit the area in the winter otherwise it's almost completely impassible during the summer months.

 

[Blaire]

Not too bad I've noticed that when I've gone out when it is colder I don't send as much time in a target because I want to get up and get warm again lol. I'm sure you'll find something good soon

Guess you have to define good. I found about a dozen headstamps (put in my collection I'm saving for Turtlefoot) as well as a handfull of old lead and rifle casings. Other then that nothing exciting. It's in an area I've pulled a merc and a couple of indians out of in the past couple of months so I'm hoping there is something else under the twisted honeysuckle jungle. Need to hit the area in the winter otherwise it's almost completely impassible during the summer months.

 

[Blaire]

That does look mighty fancy :P where'd ya get it?

Yup, hurt every time till I started using this to cut plugs

 

[airscapes]

That does look mighty fancy :P where'd ya get it?

That is a $10 true temper 25" shovel from lowes. I cut off 1" on each side and pointed the end with a 4" cutoff wheel on a grinder. Then sharpened it with a flap wheel. takes about 10 minutes to alter and 20 seconds to cut the plug with it.. pop it out with the hand digger and finish up with hand digger.. If you need to go shallow you just cut on less of an angle..deeper steeper.. Depending on the soil condition you can do a 4x4x6" plug that tapers in to about 1" square at the bottom.. lots of times the coin is stuck to the bottom of the plug.

Once the target is pinpointed, I hold the shovel with the left hand, MD in right and use my foot to push it in, turn 90 degrees next cut , turn cut, turn cut (back where I started, put down the MD and finish up.. Less time on my knees.. no wrist pain! And the dirt bags at the park will think twice before starting something with you..

 

[Blaire]

Thanks! I've got a bench grinder and all the tools I need for that in the convenient location of my room half my room is a tool shop lol

That is a $10 true temper 25" shovel from lowes. I cut off 1" on each side and pointed the end with a 4" cutoff wheel on a grinder. Then sharpened it with a flap wheel. takes about 10 minutes to alter and 20 seconds to cut the plug with it.. pop it out with the hand digger and finish up with hand digger.. If you need to go shallow you just cut on less of an angle..deeper steeper.. Depending on the soil condition you can do a 4x4x6" plug that tapers in to about 1" square at the bottom.. lots of times the coin is stuck to the bottom of the plug.

Once the target is pinpointed, I hold the shovel with the left hand, MD in right and use my foot to push it in, turn 90 degrees next cut , turn cut, turn cut (back where I started, put down the MD and finish up.. Less time on my knees.. no wrist pain! And the dirt bags at the park will think twice before starting something with you..

 

[Payloadjim]

Spoke to a Doctor friend about your wrist. He said "Tell him to STOP detecting! He could get all kinds of bad things happening to that wrist. Imagine how he'll be at the ripe ol' age of THIRTY"?

Gee whiz man, sorry! Oh......... since you wont be using that MD any longer.... CAN I HAVE IT?

 

[weston777]

One suggestion take a digger along. then just point and say DIG !

 

[OleSarge]

So I've gone out about 10-15 times for a couple hours each time. The past few times have been in the snow. I've notice that after I am done my digging wrist kills me for the rest of the day and part of the next day. I guess it is from digging in the semi-frozen ground. I'm sure some of you have encountered this as well.. Any suggestions on how to cope? I'm 23 so I know it isn't old age

Blaire, you didn't mention what metal detector you use, so I can only speak with the ATP as a reference. Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend several hours hitting a place I can only hit on weekends. I used the 8.5X11 coil on my ATP because there was a lot of area to cover and not much time to do it in. Last night I was fine but, about half way through a two hour swing today my wrist gave out also. This was the first time I'd ever swung the 8.5X11 coil for so long, and, until now never realized how heavy it was. About a hour into todays swing I was tempted to quit and go home, but I wanted at least another hour outside. The ATP comes equipped with a forearm strap, and that's what saved the day. I switched to the 5X8 coil and fastened the forearm strap and it relieved enough of the wrist pain that I continued to swing for my extra hour. The bad thing about using this strap is; 1. It's a real pain to undo and redo every time the detector is laid aside to dig a target. 2. It's a real mud catcher and gets filthy fast. With wet and muddy gloves the strap becomes coated and difficult to reclose. Tomorrow I'm going to experiment with a velcro arm band and a matching band for the metal detector which will permit me to attach the two straps at the velcro attaching point and disconnect it by unzipping the velcro. Within the next few days I'll also pay a visit to the sporting goods store and buy a wrist support. Gee, I just remembered you said it was your digging wrist and not your MDing wrist so disregard all after "Blaire".


AT Pro W/8.5X11 and 5X8 coils/GPP/Fiskars Diggers/BH Outback/CT hand held

 

[civhunter]

One suggestion take a digger along. then just point and say DIG !

Good idea! I'm going to try this method this upcoming weekend!

Thanks!

 

[Eugene10]

After my first hunt I got a very big pain in the back, but after next hunts all was ok. So I guess you getting this pain because muscles are not adopted yet.