Taking care of your hands- tips/ suggestions?

[pandaraoke]

There are so many kind and helpful folders in here! My question is to those that fold for hours on end. Do you have any particular stretches that you do? Are there any special things you do to care for your hands? What do you do to prepare yourself for a folding session or do you just jump right in?

I'm sure some of you can relate to sitting and folding for hours. I set my alarm for an hour to make myself stop so I'll remember to give my hands/mind/body a break and stretch my hands and wrists. Sometimes that hour just flies by so fast I can barely believe it!

My fingers are very strong but my wrists and elbows are not. Sometimes it is pain that stops me from folding. (note to self: get elbow braces from store) I would be very unhappy if I was not able to fold! I don't want to have to duct tape myself together to keep folding.

Our hands are so important!!! I used to take them for granted that they would always be OK but now, I realize they need care and nurturing in order to*stay* OK for as long as possible. I keep them very clean- I always wash again before folding to not leave marks/ fingerprints/ or soil on the paper (our canvas). (I wash my hands all the time actually and have hand sanitizer on my keychain. A little over the top for some people but it makes me feel better) After a folding session, I use lotion to replenish any lost moisture. And I practice regular stretching.

Any other tips or suggestions:?:

[aces21]

Funnily enough, I recently got really bad eczema on the tips of my index and middle fingers on my right hand. The doctor asked me "do you handle a lot of paper?"! Apparently it really dries out the skin, so much so that I couldn't fold at all for a few weeks - I just stared longingly at the new Roman Diaz book I got for Xmas

So now my 'preparation' comes in a tube!

[jadylyon]

One thing I do is try to maintain good posture while I'm folding. It's easy to lose track of things while you work on details and the last thing you want is to 'wake up' and find your back kinked like a set of stairs.

I haven't broken out an an origami rash yet, but I suppose there's still time.

[Jonnycakes]

I often fold for hours at a time, and I do do some preparation. Most of that prep is for the paper, though I make sure that my folding surface is clean, I am comfortable (enough) and that there won't be any distracting noises going on around me. After that I settle in to a certain mental state when I start to fold for a while. I suppose I become calmer and more meditative.

I am also a music student, and practice clarinet for hours at a time. I worry much more about my hands/body when doing this than when folding. If I use too much finger pressure or have unnecessary tension in my wrists/elbows/shoulders/neck/etc., I feel it later-and it also can be damaging to your body (especially your hands) in the long run. I suppose a similar concept could be applied to origami-using thick paper or creasing through many layers at a time doesn't make it easy to be light with your hands, though.

[Zoraz]

I've never really thought about preparing my hands for folding, except for the occasional shake after a long period of time. As for posture, I don't pay attention while folding, but every once in a while I stretch. I take more time to prepare the area, the paper, and try to find a quiet space (a very rare thing in a college dorm).

[Ragnorax]

and try to find a quiet space (a very rare thing in a college dorm).

Its funny because i do just the opposite... whenever i fold, i always blast music from my computer

I usually dont prepare my hands before folding, but i take breaks while folding so my hands have never felt discomfort yet.

[Zoraz]

Its funny because i do just the opposite... whenever i fold, i always blast music from my computer

That's always my second choice

[origami_8]

The thing I care for is good lighting. When I plan to fold for a longer time I prepare a daylight lamp to enlighten my workspace.

[TheRealChris]

you have a sun in your flat? [img]http://freenet-homepage.de/origamichris ... _quiet.gif[/img]

[origami_8]

daylight lamp ≠ sun

[insaneorigami]

I just fold, pretty much. Halfway through pre-creasing my current 3.5 attempt, my back started hurting, so I guess I shoulda had a better posture. Apart from that, I play guitar, so my left hand is pretty flexible and strong. Though I am right handed, I generally fold with my left, so my hands can stay folding for a verrryyyy long time .

[Didée]

Apart from general wariness, there's nothing particular Origami-related I do to care for my hands. The only preparation before serious folding work is to wash them - but that is caring for the paper, not for the hands.

What I really need to care for is my back (spine), which is pre-damaged since long ago. When I sit too long at folding without a break, then I can't stand up straight anymore ...

And right now, I can't do any folding because of - again - an acute herniated vertebral disc (from snow shoveling, not from folding). Can't stand, can't sit, can't walk, can't lay down. It's a tragedy - plenty of free time (medical leave), but can't use it for folding! I fear it'll take several weeks before I can start folding again...

[pandaraoke]

Thank you for your input everyone. I appreciate it. I was surprised to see the results of the pole.

I carry paper with me everywhere. I'll fold any place I can. Still... I have to take breaks. I just found out why my hands go numb after a while... C7 vertibra in my neck is out of place. On to physical therapy so I can have better length of folding time. *sigh*

[pandaraoke]

update: Physical therapy helped. No more numbness in my fingers!
I can fold for about 1 1/2 hours then I need a break.

[orislater]

i do lots of different things when i fold. especially at night time! when i have to fold a grid i usually go on youtube and listen to bring me the horizon or slipknot or something. If im folding something geometric i usually get bored but force myself to keep folding lol. I never wash my hands before folding which is ok because my hands are never dirty (somehow everything ends of on my pant-legs) also when i fold i have this big wooded board that i fold on. i always fold on the ground so my legs are in awkward positions most of the time.I have trouble folding at night because my eyes get all blurry and i cant see the diagrams or my creases correctly...