Hi so I have been doing cakes for my kids for about 10 years now. The last 2 years I have actually started doing them for actual clients and have enjoyed it so much im considering a full time job change.

The problem I am having is when I was younger I fell and developed carpel tunnel in my wrist. I have usually not over exerted myself so I havent really inflamed them much. The last two cakes I did made my wrists feel like they were in fire-from kneading the fondant to piping the royal icing.

Does anyone have and ideas on how to address this issue...Im not really fond of even thinking about the surgery to fix carpel tunnel as I hear more bad than good from it.

Im really nervous to switch career paths at 30 years old and would just love some advice!

Thanks!

Hey there,

During pregnancy I developed carpel tunnel in my wrists and it does return periodically ever since (she is now 3). I wear wrist bracers to bed every night to help avoid it coming back as per my doctor's advice.

HTH!

Edit: I did start making my own fondant for a while, though, and it did come back. Sadly, I have to buy all of my fondant. Even with my mixer doing most of the work, making it isn't an option!

I thought I was getting carpal tunnel also and didn't want to have surgery. I went to my Chiropractor to have him work on my neck and I asked him to check it out to see if he could help. He did some muscle work on my shoulder and upper back and my hand and wrist hasn't hurt me since!!!! I've done several cakes since and no pain! It might be worth it just to have a chiropractor check it out......

Thanks for your insight! I had a froend also tell me to try chiroprators....will ahve to think about it! I hate to give up my homemade fondant but i just may need to too if thats what it takes!

As an orthopedic massage therapist, I'd recommend findinding and excellent therapeutic therapist or an ART chiropractor. I have been very successful in treating carpal tunnel and prolonging the need for surgery. Hth

You already know what you should do--see an orthopedic surgeon for a consultation. You do not have to take whatever advice is dispensed whether it be good or bad, but you do need specific data that only tests can provide. From that point you can better determine what your course of action will be.

Here is a link to an objective study from a book published in 2006: "The occupational ergonomics handbook: Interventions, controls, and Applications in Occupational Ergonomics", by William Steven Marras, Waldemar Karwowski.
http://books.google.com/books?id=AkRBZy6Y8fcC&pg=SA48-PA1&lpg=SA48-PA1&dq=carpal+tunnel+incidence+in+cake+decorators&source=bl&ots=WOAATlEHQr&sig=ngJoIkY9-rgJ80n80GxVfTqnx10&hl=en&ei=-QikTceSJcn00gGC7biBCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

Please don't hesitate to have the surgery if it is recommended by a surgeon you trust. I had both hands operated on ten or so years ago (one at a time) and have never had another problem. Besides cake decorating I am an artist and in my "spare" time love to knit and crochet. None of these activities would have been possible to continue if I hadn't given in and agreed to the surgery.

Best of luck!

I had it really bad in both hands a few years ago, and at only 26 I had the surgery on my right hand. I wish I had done the left hand afterwards, but now we aren't military and I can't afford it. My doctor made a small cut along on of the creases in my hand so I don't have a huge scar, it was the closed-wrist surgery. I healed quickly, and because I was diligent in working the hand afterwards (I play piano and that was the perfect workout) I didn't have ANY decrease in grip strength once I was healed. I just had to build up the muscle again, and have had no problems since then.

There ya go, a good surgery story! I was worried about my piping but I haven't had any trouble. In my right hand anyway, my left that I didn't get fixed is a different story. The second I have insurance that would cover it.....

Normally just a reader but felt I should put a ggod op story inas well!
I have had both wrist operated on over 15 years ago, I have not had a moments trouble since, I horse ride and do lots of manual strength things as well as cake decorating, I'm so glad I had the op's all those years ago, I was only 22 at the time but it was keeping me awake at night with the pain, I had tried support and various other things over pervious years to help but in the end the surgery was the only option. I was awake for the op ( hands behind a screen so didn't see anything) and I was out the same day.
I would say if its bad have the op.

I thought that I was experiancing cts, and I'm ashamed to admit I ignored it for the better part of a year...at which point a lump started to show up on my wrist. An x-Ray discovered I have a cyst (damn) that needs to be removed. I guess if there is a point, it's never, ever ignore pain! I think part of my idiocy in taking care of the situation was that 'mom' mentality, of, "I'm fine! It's going to go away, and be fine!" Listen to your body.