Message-Id: <l03010d09afe60d754a6a@[205.216.99.26]>
In-Reply-To: <199707061456.KAA26808@www.onlink.net>
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 1997 00:12:28 -0300
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
From: "Craig O'Donnell" <dadadata@friend.ly.net>
Subject: Re: new baidarka, numb legs and toes
*>
*> I wonder if my problem isn't that the seat is cutting into my thighs a bit
*> to much. Not sure but I think there is an engineer nearby who specializes
*> in ergonomics and I will ask him for some thoughts.
*>
Although chairs are symmetrical, people aren't. An ergo consultant once
pointed out to me that chairs are designed for the (nonexistent) "average
person [read man]".
You may need to customize your seat - that's OK.
Paddlers should watch out for "thoracic outlet syndrome", something that
plagued me - from typing at an ergonomically poor desk, not from paddling.
Hunch forward and pull shoulders up and you're squeezing a nerve bundle
more or less againt your collarbone on both sides (my physiology is not so
good as to permit a more accurate description).
This can result in all sorts of unpleasantness in the fingers, wrists,
forearm and elbow and can pretty effectively mimic the so called "carpal
tunnel" -- which is a specific disorder, and which is not all that common
in reality compared to other "cumulative trauma disorders" or "repetitive
strain injuries". Trust me, I've been through the mill on this one.
So watch your posture and if seat asymmetry is necessary to good posture go
with it.
Due to a broken elbow long ago my right arm is most certainly not "average"
and I've been experimenting some with asymmetrically laid out paddle
shafts. A normal straight paddle no matter how light can be awkward or
uncomfortable.
I like to make my own paddles from bamboo anyway.
Craig O'Donnell
The Proa FAQ <http://www.cyber-dyne.com/~jkohnen/proafaq.html>
The Cheap Pages <http://www.friend.ly.net/user-homepages/d/dadadata/>
_________________________________
-- Professor of Boatology
-- Junkomologist
-- Macintosh kinda guy
I sure miss my cat, Wanda.
_________________________________