Lili Krakowski on sat 20 nov 04
Although I suspect Dori's problem more likely comes from bus driving all =
day than from potting, and, again, once more, go check it out with a =
chiropractor or orthopedist--throwing standing still is my suggestion. =
NOTHING forbids your bending from the hips to lean into a pot. NOTHING =
keeps you from bracing your arms against ribs or hip. In fact you can =
keep a box or some such to place your foot on so you can rest your elbow =
on your thigh. (Yes? Wine crate, milk crate (upside down) too box/) =
The advantage of standing is that you can shift your weight from leg to =
leg, backward, forward, and you can turn more at need. This aligns =
everything better, and for me, even improves breathing.
Mme Kleber:
Go fill the dishpan with nice warm water. Place a bowl in the palm of =
your left hand. Turn hand as far as you can clockwise, so that your =
fingers point at your tummy. Half fill the bowl with nice warm water, =
and pour it out over the rim while turning your hand back till your =
fingers point straight ahead. Do this 18 times in a row, and you will =
see how easy it is to pour glaze into and out of a bowl. For big bowls =
you will need the support (on outside) of right hand.
I do not know why your wrists hurt. Over something no doubt. This is =
not good and you can do harm. Are you using clay as soft as possible? =
Is your wheel going slowly enough so that your hand is not jarred when =
it hits an uneveness in centering?
Are you using lumps of clay bigger than you can handle? Tendonitis is =
a drag. Try to avoid it. Not to mention my pet injury, carpal tunnel.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Ivor and Olive Lewis on sun 21 nov 04
I often wonder why there is a consistent insistance that we apply
force by pressing the rotating clay away from our location at the
wheel.
This is only one way of using body weight to gain additional force.
Yet it is the one which imposes the greatest degree of strain on joint
capsules, putting them into intense compression.
IF our hands are linked so that our palms and the heels of our hands
can be cupped against the Far Side of The Clay Pug, it is possible to
exert considerable force by leaning backwards away from the wheel.
This eliminates compression and imposes tension, yet applies the same
degree of force because our body weights do not change. It also
relieves pressure on wrist, arm and shoulder joint capsules and the
sliding surfaces of the balls and sockets eliminating the cause of
ware, which is the seat of pain. It also transfers the production of
power to create body movement from the weaker internal muscles that
connect our thighs to our spine to those larger muscles on the dorsal
side of our torsos.
And yet future books published for potters will repeat popularly
accepted instructions similar to those described in this thread,
without any thought of Physics or Physiology.
Well, we do practice and ancient craft so why change!!!
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.
Harry Peery on mon 22 nov 04
IF our hands are linked so that our palms and the heels of our hands
> can be cupped against the Far Side of The Clay Pug, it is possible to
> exert considerable force by leaning backwards away from the wheel
Ivor,
I've recently tried this method and it does work. I'd broken my left wrist
when I was a kid and the two lower bones in my arm, the radius and ulna,
healed unevenly so that the head of the ulna projects somewhat up into the
wrist. Somehow, I still have a good range of movement, but I'm all too aware
when I try to center with my left hand by pushing against the ball of clay,
that there's a lot of stress on that joint and it gets a bit achy. I then
tried with my fingers interlaced and pulling back with my upper body - a
very nice centering! And no stress on the wrist.
Sue
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