<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2838" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV> <DIV>1st. Sounds like "tennis elbow" (MAYBE).  You should probably see a medical person. There is a little strap that goes around your lower arm, right below the elbow. It supports the tendon in question and helps a lot.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2nd. Get with an experienced tuner or two (Are you attending a PTG chapter? Where livest thou?) and see if your hammer technique or body posture could be contributing to the problem.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>3rd. Don't think the impact hammer will help much, maybe others have some relevant experience and a different opinion.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>New, repetitive motions and "overdoing it" are the very devil for producing joint pain, tendonitis, bursitis, etc. I went through a long and painful healing process on my right elbow after wrenching it by trying to drive a big screw into wood with a too-small pilot hole. I will be VERY careful not to put THAT kind of stress on any joint again.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think that my "see a doctor" suggestion is my best advice. These things can freeze up on you or put you in physical therapy if not attended to.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Maybe you could take a break from tuning and learn a different facet of the trade, do some work for a rebuilder, or something, so the arm can heal.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This, too, shall pass.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Alan Barnard</DIV> <DIV>Salem, Missouri</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=davespianotuning@earthlink.net href="mailto:davespianotuning@earthlink.net">Dave McKibben</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 03/29/2006 11:32:46 PM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> elbow shoulder pain</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <P> <DIV>Hello list:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am rather new to piano tuning.  I have studied and practiced part time for about 2 years, and have tuned part time for the last year +.</DIV> <DIV>As the tuning jobs increased in the last 6 months or so, and this is only 1-4 pianos a week, my elbow has become painfull to the point  that I cant move it doing anything without pain.</DIV> <DIV>My question is for anyone who has had this pain and found a cure.  Can you share what you did, what you found, and how you fixed the problem??</DIV> <DIV>It's rather disapointing to finally find something I REALLY like to do after 50 yrs of searching only to find my body can't deliver.</DIV> <DIV>I'm right handed, thinking of practicing left handed, or going to an impact hammer.</DIV> <DIV>Any thoughts from the healed happy tuners, if your out there??</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><A href="mailto:DavesPianotuning@earthlink.net">DavesPianotuning@earthlink.net</A></DIV> <DIV><A href="http://www.home.earthlink.net/~davespianotuning/">http://www.home.earthlink.net/~davespianotuning/</A></DIV> <DIV>858-776-2516</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>