HAVS (white finger disease)

[Woodchip]

Gday,
Wondering if anyone has Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) used to be called white finger disease?

I have a mild case of it.
Started mowing lawns at school age, then moved into tree work, using vibrating machinery for decades has taken its toll on my hands, now it takes about 1 minute after starting to mow a lawn or use chainsaw before I start to feel the pins & needles, the feeling lasts for until about 2hrs after stopping using the machinery.

Think i'll get some Gel gloves.

Anyone got any treatments for it?

Certainly something to think about if starting out. I would....
Look at /feel the vibration aspect of any new equipment.
Wear gel gloves.
Dont use equipment that excessively shakes.

cheers

[Mrs HMS]

Here a couple of old threads that talk about vibration injury and have some advice/hints etc


http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?1911-hands-vibration&highlight=white+finger

http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?1278-whpper-snipping-for-a-long-period-of-time&highlight=white+finger

[Grassman177]

i too have this issue. it sucks man.
i dont really want to wear gloves all the time. i wear short sleeve shirts so the tan lines would be hidious!!!!

[Mick]

Check out Decade anti vibration gloves. Specifically, Drivers style (look like riggers gloves). You can buy left or right hand making it cheaper. Example.... http://www.saf-t-glove.com/product.cfm/29632/
I just buy left hand as thats the one I have trouble with also anti vibe glove make it difficult for me to hold the throttle on the trimmer.

Decade have "summer weight" gloves with spandex back. They are cooler, maybe a bit better but there is more stitching and they (as far as I know) only come in a pair.

Yes, I have one hand whiter than the other. I also tape my right wrist all the time, now thats a tan line!

Id rather a whiter hand than go back to the numbness I had!!!!

[PaulG]

I bought the Decade Summer weight gloves early last year. Made it very hard to hold the trimmer especially the throttle hand as the gel pads are very bulky. Stitching also started to come undone in several places after a couple of months. David from OTB where I bought mine here in Queensland said he'd replace them but I didn't bother as I just don't wear them enough.

http://www.otbproducts.com.au/store/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=1

These might be the ones Mick mentioned:
http://www.otbproducts.com.au/store/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=51

I get a bit of trouble with my right wrist too Mick and am looking at a brace for it possibly. Also have issues with a few fingers and knuckles on my right hand most likely to do with a couple of finger-tip dislocations from when I used to play Grade cricket. My little finger on the right actually locks-up when it's closed and I have to force it open, with very noticeable loud clicks/clunks as I do it!

Bought a pair of the JakMax gloves from the Indy store a while back but haven't tried them yet. The Gel padding is noticeably thinner (they don't have any Gel in the fingers) than the Decade gloves so they might be easier to wear.

[Mick]

Paul, gloves need gel in the fingers! When holding the loop on a trimmer, your fingers are taking all the vibrations. For me its the little and ring fingers. Ive had half my hand and up my arm numb before. Its sooooo sh!t it aint funny.
It had happened to me several years ago, got gloves, hand came good, took glove off for a while and it was wayyyyyyyyy..... worse! Playing guitar was impossible. Couldnt feel the string, couldnt move fingers and it freakin hurt like a bytch!
Point is, if your getting numbness in your fingers/hand then I totally recommend trying some AV gloves. There is no cure for it, only keeping it in check.

Wrist, I got some 25mm tape (non stretch) for my wrist. 2 or 3 wraps and Im good. Chiro told me (word to the effect) you have 2 bones in the arm that run down to the wrist. They separate. The tape keeps them together.
All I know is that I couldnt function without it.

[South East Mowing]

Looking at getting some AV gloves. What have people used and what are tyhe good & bad points?

[Fred's mowing]

Looking at getting some AV gloves. What have people used and what are tyhe good & bad points?

Just dont get any AM gloves.
The only pair I know of r at the old Melbourne Gaol.
Cheers Fred.

[Woodchip]

Just a bit of feedback on some AV gloves I got at bunnies...
Got 2 pairs one $20 & one pair $40.

The cheaper pair are more robust & you can use them as general gloves which saves taking them on & off, so I just leave them on when using the big brushie etc I can stop & move things out of the way, or load the ute.

The cheaper pair I only use for "non dirty" work, ie mowing, edging & hedging.
Neither have gel in the fingers. Palm only.

I cant tell the difference in effectiveness, they are both better than nothing, I find the pins & needles & numbness takes longer to happen while using the equipment & doesnt last as long after when finished, when wearing them.

I just bought them as a temporary pair until I can find some really good ones. Which I haven't found as yet....

cheers

[South East Mowing]

Just a bit of feedback on some AV gloves I got at bunnies...
Got 2 pairs one $20 & one pair $40.

The cheaper pair are more robust & you can use them as general gloves which saves taking them on & off, so I just leave them on when using the big brushie etc I can stop & move things out of the way, or load the ute.

The cheaper pair I only use for "non dirty" work, ie mowing, edging & hedging.
Neither have gel in the fingers. Palm only.

I cant tell the difference in effectiveness, they are both better than nothing, I find the pins & needles & numbness takes longer to happen while using the equipment & doesnt last as long after when finished, when wearing them.

I just bought them as a temporary pair until I can find some really good ones. Which I haven't found as yet....

cheers


http://www.otbproducts.com.au/store/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=1


Hope they are as good as Mick says cos they just cost me $85 delivered!

[PaulG]

I've had the OTB/Decade gloves for over a year. The gel is good, but thick and this makes it harder to grip the trimmer which caused more muscle and cramp problems than they solved re vibration. This is due to them being full gel gloves - not just a few little gel pads here and there like some gloves.

The stitching around the gel pad between thumb and forefinger started unravelling after about ten hours use too. David from OTB said he would replace them but I didn't bother and rarely wear them now.

They're still the best glove on the market despite the shortcomings I observed with mine.

[Redeye]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TILLMAN-1489-ANTI-VIBRATION-TRUEFIT-GLOVES-LARGE-/330727109327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d00df32cf

[Duke_LetoII]

Anyone else get "tennis elbow"?

[Redeye]

i've got "footy depression" at the moment - damn those bunny's

[South East Mowing]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TILLMAN-1489-ANTI-VIBRATION-TRUEFIT-GLOVES-LARGE-/330727109327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d00df32cf

Hey Redeye, you put me onto home made wd40, radio earmuffs and both are great. After spending $85 I may just spend another $30 for a spare pair as you have been "on the money" with other things.
Thanks mate, Keep them coming:)

[PaulG]

I might chance a pair too and see how they go.

[Mick]

I just bought a pair to try out as well!

[AJD Mowing]

I had a girlfriend years ago who would be a good candidate for vibration syndrome, not from lawnmowing though :rolleyes:

[63impala]

I just bought a pair to try out as well!

Same here....

And for over cast days when cant see shi-p....


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Safety-Glasses-Uvex-i-VO-Clear-safety-Glasses-German-made-approved-/200685492450?pt=AU_ISafety&hash=item2eb9c998e2#ht_500wt_1054

[GardenGuy]

Prevention is better than cure for HAVS. I spent a large chunk of my life driving a computer, so am a bit cautious about carpal tunnel and all the un-fun things that can happen to your hands. I chose some mildly padded (palm mostly) gloves as my 'standard' for now.

Some of the fatty palm and finger pads are just too big for chainsaw use. If you roll your already oversized knuckles forward in a slim glove, you activate the chain brake. With the nice thick gloves mentioned in this thread, it would be the same thing - if you could get your knuckles in behind the guard.

Cheers - GardenGuy.

[Redeye]

glad to be of service John! Like to buy some guitars?lol
I ordered some too

[Woodchip]

Prevention is better than cure for HAVS.

Cheers - GardenGuy.

Spot on!, I consider AV gloves as important as ear muffs & safety specs(sunnies at least) & a hat, & so should every other Indy & newbie's just starting out....wished I'd taken precautions, didnt think it was a problem until I started getting symptoms.

----------------

Thanks Redeye,

I also picked up a pair of those 3bay ones, worth a punt at $30

cheers

[South East Mowing]

http://www.otbproducts.com.au/store/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=1


Hope they are as good as Mick says cos they just cost me $85 delivered!

Got some Decade gloves. Bloody comfortable when you wear them. Pity it stops when you pick up a whippy or blower. Mowers not so bad. I can really only wear one at any time so I still have effective control over the whippy especially. will see if it improves with time but they do improve the vibes.

[Bluey]

Got some Decade gloves. Bloody comfortable when you wear them. Pity it stops when you pick up a whippy or blower. Mowers not so bad. I can really only wear one at any time so I still have effective control over the whippy especially. will see if it improves with time but they do improve the vibes.

So...no workee???

[Mick]

They do work and I have said that it makes holding the throttle difficult on the trimmer. My problem was always my left hand that holds the trimmer loop so the one glove works for me.
I really dont see another way around it to be honest. Need the gel in the fingers as that where the vibes are going straight into, but that makes it extremely difficult to hold anything with a throttle.

[South East Mowing]

They do work and I have said that it makes holding the throttle difficult on the trimmer. My problem was always my left hand that holds the trimmer loop so the one glove works for me.
I really dont see another way around it to be honest. Need the gel in the fingers as that where the vibes are going straight into, but that makes it extremely difficult to hold anything with a throttle.

I expected it as I have used half fingered AV gloves before. I will trial them to see what works best but will persist. Having small hands does not help.
I have found that using 1 glove (either hand ) still allows you to feel in complete control of whippy, 2 does not unless I concentrate and it actually makes my hands more fatigued do to having to hold on more tightly.

[Chris B]

i tried them too and although they are good quality gloves, for me they didnt work as expected... as they are thick you have to hold the trimmer tighter which can actually make the vibration worse than holding with a less firm grip!
also i wore them out in no time so didnt bother with another pair. been using these 90cent gloves from bunnings for the light duty stuff and just chuck em out every week or so

[South East Mowing]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TILLMAN-1489-ANTI-VIBRATION-TRUEFIT-GLOVES-LARGE-/330727109327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d00df32cf

Used my tillman AV gloves today. Less padding than the decade but sufficient I think for what I do AND I can use two gloves and hold tyhe equipment properly without my hands getting tired from trying to grip them so hard.
They felt ok to me so will see if they last. Now I have the decade gloves also I will use them as needed mainly on the whippy and blower - not so much the mowers.
Overall the Tillman gloves feel good to me.

[Leon241]

Not trying to hijack this thread but are there any gloves that are good for use in the rain or on wet branches etc? I just use gloves from Bunnings/masters, I've got skin issues on my hands. Trouble is anytime there's any water nearby the glove just soak it up and are then cold/wet and horrible. Apart from rubber gloves are there any other waterproof or semi-waterproof gloves about?

Cheers

[Redeye]

I use these http://www.vileda.com.au/au/products/show/2473?hotspot_id=2010 get them from bunnings pretty cheap

[DavidS]

I use the same gloves, I buy by the box.