A hairdresser’s body is their most valuable tool. Standing for hours, bending over shampoo bowls, and unfitting tools increase the risk for repetitive strain, carpal tunnel and tendonitis, so it is very important for salon professionals to be able to recognize the warning signs. Here’s what to watch for:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Burning, tingling or itching in the palm of the hand
- Swollen fingers
- “Restless” hands
- Decreased grip strength
- Inability to decipher hot from cold by the touc
Tendonitis
- Shooting pain in the neck, shoulders, upper back, forearms, wrists and hands
- Tremors, clumsiness and numbness
- Weakness in hands or forearms
- Chronic cold hands, particularly the fingertips
The good news is, with the proper precautions, most hairdressers can have a long healthy career.
- Learn correct body positioning to reduce stress.
- Strengthen finger muscles to distribute action evenly.
- Use ergonomic tools such as light-weight blow dryers and shears designed to allow hands, wrists and elbows to operate in safe positions with minimal weight.
- Install shampoo bowls to the proper height to reduce stress from bending over.
- Utilize trolleys to minimize extra movement and weight.
- Take breaks from standing throughout the day by using rolling stools.
“The importance of ergonomic design is vital to our industry…our mission at Sam Villa is to not only make our tools lighter to alleviate weight, but we’ve also designed them to be easily operated with minimal effort to reduce stress,” says Sam Villa, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sam Villa and Global Artistic Ambassador for Redken.
Learn more about Repetitive Strain Injury, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendonitis here.
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