turner's elbow?

[Trevor Mills]

The more time I spend at the lathe, the more my left elbow gets sore. Nothing too serious but could it be solved by adjusting my set up, or is it just a one more consequence of getting older?

[John K Jordan]

Side effect of your addiction. If it is the same physical condition as is commonly called "tennis elbow" my doctor recommended one of the small elastic bands available at the drug store that apply pressure at a specific point on the forearm. Worked for me even though I hadn't played tennis for half a century.

JKJ

[Scott Lux]

I thought turners elbow was a permanent hole in the right elbow from forgetting the live center was in the tailstock. Again.

[Brice Rogers]

I thought turners elbow was a permanent hole in the right elbow from forgetting the live center was in the tailstock. Again.

Scott, that made me laugh. Like many other woodworkers, I periodically wear a small bandage on my right elbow.

[John K Jordan]

Shoot, I must not be a real turner yet. Somehow I've missed being awarded that bandage, er, badge of distinction. I'll try harder.

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

Well, I am pondering what you are doing that puts stress on the left elbow... My left hand just sits on the tool shaft, and does no other work. Maybe of you are doing the pull type cut, with the handle way down low in the right hand, and the left up on the shaft, and pulling with both hands/arms/body. Most of the time, my tools are held level, flutes rolled over on the side.

robo hippy

[Keith Westfall]

Turners elbow can also be caused by the repeated motion of reaching for your wallet....

Or so I've heard...

[John K Jordan]

Could the lathe and/or tool rest be too high, having to hold the left arm in an odd way? Subconsciously pushing down against the rest too hard, tensing up, twisting the torso too much? Turning left handed?

I know, take some turning videos from different angles, someone may spot something.

[Thomas Canfield]

My problem is my right elbow. It has been acting up lately, but then so have other joints, so maybe it is just Arthur. I have made slip on wood covers for the points on my live centers to avoid the hole in elbow problem, and a club member showed using a golf ball as cover. The cover also serves to keep from marring a turning when applying pressure if the point is to be avoided.

[hu lowery]

Could the lathe and/or tool rest be too high, having to hold the left arm in an odd way? Subconsciously pushing down against the rest too hard, tensing up, twisting the torso too much? Turning left handed?

I know, take some turning videos from different angles, someone may spot something.

This would be my guess too. Amazing how awkward things get when a lathe is only an inch or two too high. Still not comfortable with my new lathe, I think I'm going to build a platform in front of it even though I am 6'-2".

Hu

[Roger Chandler]

This would be my guess too. Amazing how awkward things get when a lathe is only an inch or two too high. Still not comfortable with my new lathe, I think I'm going to build a platform in front of it even though I am 6'-2".

Hu

This goes to show what different preferences we develop ergonomically. Hu, I am 5'11" and my G0766 is fine for me. I do have a 3/4" rubber mat that I stand on when working on it. I think when we are able to put the handle down by our hip, that the cut and tool are much more solidly supported, so for those who find the 0766 a bit high, that might be why.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Tennis elbow is caused by a poor backswing. It is more likely to ocur when picking something heavy in a backhanded motion it can get quite sore and take as long as 6 month to a year to heal. The elbow wraps with an air pillow work well.

[Tony De Masi]

I'm guess there may be some "white knuckling" going on here. Relax your left hand/arm but continue your same motions.

[John Grace]

I've suffered from bouts of tennis elbow on and off for decades from, yes...playing tennis, and it's the colloquial term for elbow tendonitis. Typically...the tendonitis is caused either by excessive vibration to the elbow area where the tendons connect or by prolonged poor ergonomics. In the short term...the old phrase 'doctor it hurts when I do this' comes to play, 'then don't do that'. Rest, ibuprofen, ice, ice massage, and proper strengthening of the forearm muscles will alleviate the pain. Long term...you may need to look at your ergonomics of how you work at your lathe. As others have suggested proper working height, tool angles, etc all play a role in proper ergonomics to minimize re-occurrence of the inflammation. While it will all depend on what works for you, I found a short compression sleeve on my upper forearm 'deadend' or otherwise reduced the amount of vibrations going to elbow. Otherwise, I found the best over-all key to preventing tendonitis is to not let it sink in...listen to your body as you work and if it starts to hurt then don't try to 'fight through' it, you're simply inflaming the tendons more and more. Good luck and speedy recovery...John

[Stan Calow]

I got t- elbow from bad ergonomics on the computer keyboard. Turning just made it worse.