Pins and Needles

I am posting this in the wedding forum, because I know they all hold heavy bodies and lenses for most of the day.

Do any of the photogs here get pins and needle or numbness in their hand when they shoot for extended hours. I just returned from a wedding and my hand is really bugging me. I will go and have it checked out tomorrow, I was just curious if anyone else experiences this.

I've gotten a soar shoulder from my camera bag when shooting a wedding, and maybe a slightly tired hand, but never the sensation you're describing.

Nope, but I've gotten a soar shoulder and back from dragging my camera bag around.

The joints in my hands get sore - my right hand thumb from gripping the camera, and my left fingers from holding the lens. I'm thinking of using a hand strap on each body so that I'm not always gripping 100% of the weight when there's a camera in my hand.

Yeah, I have had that. I get cramp in my hand.

Thanks for your responses! It's still numb this morning, I went and got a brace to tide me over until I see a doctor on tuesday. Keeping my wrist still seems to help.

morlia wrote in post #5548220
Thanks for your responses! It's still numb this morning, I went and got a brace to tide me over until I see a doctor on tuesday. Keeping my wrist still seems to help.

Were you holding the body with one hand? I've had that happen when holding the cam in one hand and flash in the other for an extended period of time. You could try using a handstrap, which lets you to loosen your grip between shots. You may need to try loosening your grip in general and/or support more of the weight with your left hand.

Do you have a handstrap for the camera? It helps a lot. I also have a second, always to help carry the stuff and so I don't have to have 2 cameras on me.

No numbness, just everything aches after a day shooting a wedding! LOL Seriously though, I have Keinbocks Disease in my right wrist and had major surgery last October. Fortunately my left wrist/hand takes the weight of the equipment so my wrist seems to be coping now. The test will be this weekend, the first wedding since surgery. I've never had numbness though.

I got tennis elbow from shooting too much at Christmas this last year. So, I went to physical therapy for 2 months and exercised it off. Better now.

SuzyView wrote in post #5548267
Do you have a handstrap for the camera? It helps a lot. I also have a second, always to help carry the stuff and so I don't have to have 2 cameras on me.

E-1 handstrap is one of my favorite accessories!!! A must have!!

Make sure you hold the camera properly (holding the weight with left hand) if I were to try and hold my 70-200 f/2.8 with my right hand I would need an icepack in no time...