Left arm rotator cuff pain

[JuneC]

Ok, I'm short - so maybe I have issues some of you can't relate to.  My left arm rotator cuff is killing me and I think it's sewing.  My seat is too low - the sewing table is above elbow height so my left arm is held aloft for many hours a day.  If I raise the seat to a level where my left arm can hang naturally, I can't reach the pedal comfortably.  My left shoulder is a mess.  Any suggestions?

June

[MinUph]

How about raising the chair and raising the foot petal to adjust for your height? Is the table itself adjustable? Maybe with some cutting off the top of the table legs the stand would be shorter. 1st idea is simpler. a couple pieces of 2x4 and a 3/4" piece of plywood screwed to the pedal would raise the pedal 4 1/4" allowing the seat to be raised accordingly. You could test this by just using some velcro for a temporary fastener to the pedal. Gotta get in a better position. RCs are painful.

[byhammerandhand]

My suggestion is the same -- make a platform for your pedal.

Though at 6'5", I have the opposite problem.    I have to raise all my tools and work surfaces.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ergonomic+desk+height&client=firefox-a&hs=f4S&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Vj-iU7ajDsWeyAT5h4AI&ved=0CFcQsAQ&biw=1138&bih=507

[bobbin]

I had the same problem in Boss's shop.  The benches and the tables were the same height but the padded office chairs used as sewing chairs were incapable of the height required to keep arms at a proper height.  My left shoulder ached after a busy week, esp. when asked to work on heavy projects. 

I wonder if purchasing an inexpensive sewing chair/industrial shop chair might be an inexpensive solution.  Many of them have more allowances for adjustment than office chairs.  I bought 2 from Northern Tool Co. (National Public Seating Adjustable shop stool with back #6218HB) item #22768,  for a whopping $80/ea.. 

My tables are 36"H and my sewing machine benches are also 36"H.  To bring the machines to the same height as the tables we cut "skids" (covered them in carpet so they'd slide easily) and screwed through the bench feet to secure them.  Works like a charm, doing so keeps the treadle at the proper height.  And within 6 mos. my left shoulder no longer hurt!

[sofadoc]

I wonder if purchasing an inexpensive sewing chair/industrial shop chair might be an inexpensive solution.  Many of them have more allowances for adjustment than office chairs.

I don't think chair height adjustment (or lack of) is June's problem. When she raises the chair seat high enough so that her elbows are above table level, then her feet don't reach the foot pedal.

I think the pedal-platform is a good idea for starters. It's something that easily rigged up temporarily to see if it makes a difference.

if you prefer the "feel" of the actual foot pedal (as opposed to a wood platform), you could unbolt it from the stand, slide a thick piece of wood with pre-drilled holes under it, and bolt it back down to the stand using longer bolts. Then adjust your treadle rod.

[Mike]

Im like hammer june feel im to tall at time its hard finding the perfect chair
What i do get somtimes sewing is hand cramps im my left hand.

[bobbin]

That's why we put "skids" under the K legs of the sewing machines in my shop, Sofa. (that may've been sort of vague). 

I started with the desired table height, and the adjusted the sewing machine benches to the highest point they'd go.  Then we added the skids under the bench legs.  Everything is the same height and there was no need to fiddle around with the treadle, connecting rods, etc..  The last variable to isolate (and solve) was the chair and I've found the shop chairs to be a lot more adjustable in height than office chairs. 

[Tejas]

Unless do a rotary cuff exercise daily, I have chronic pain but from a skiing accident. The exercise is the pendelum in the following link, except I do it holding a 10 pound bar bell. Although only one side seems to be effected, I do the exercise on both sides.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/PDFs/Rehab_Shoulder_5.pdf

[JuneC]

Thanks all for the suggestions.  My sewing tables are at their lowest levels and I don't think I could deal with them lower since all the surrounding tables I built at that height to make a level surface.  I don't recall the exact height, but it's nowhere near 36 inches.  I think I need to raise the seat and treadle.  There's lots of adjustments and mods that will have to be made to handle that, but I think it's necessary at this point.  Sleeping at night works till the ibuprofen wears off - usually around 3:30 am.  I definitely need a new chair.    

I'm going to give that exercise a try, Tejas.  At this point I'm looking for anything that will give relief.  I can hardly fold a sheet - or do anything else that requires me to hold my arm out.  

June

[Mojo]

June:

The chair you will want is called a drafting chair. The standard office chairs height will not work because it is limited in its height adjustment.

I just bought three of these for all four sewing stations. One we simply swap depending on the machine we are using. and they are comfortable and well made. They have a higher lift to them
then standard office chairs and are made to be used for drafting tables.

http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Audio-B1615-BK-Drafting-Stool/dp/B002FL3LTE/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1403270957&sr=8-16&keywords=drafting+chair

They are hard to find locally which is why we bought them from Amazon. I am very happy with them.

Chris

[Darren Henry]

Ok, I'm short - so maybe I have issues some of you can't relate to.

At 5 '6 " and laughable underweight I know exactly what you mean. My rig [a sewing machine at each end of a table ] is set at 28 1/2 " (probably the lowest setting on one machine) . Those numbers work out for me----might give you an idea as to how much to lift yourself.

I was thinking along the same lines as Dennis (sofa doc) about raising the treadle,but had a bit of a different plan of attack. In her prime Mom was 5'1" and Dad had to braze a piece of copper pipe between the front legs of her kitchen chair so she could rest her feet while sitting at the table. Around here that's where we live. the living room is for watching TV or "occasions". I'd mount a piece of 2X4 in each k leg at the right height with a hole over the existing "axle" , run a new axle through there (piece of boat tubing??), and then fabricate a narrower treadle so you could rest your left foot on the shaft as you sew as well.

;D Or steal the pedals out of a pedal boat and cancel your gym membership LOL

[Mojo]

Mike:

I am curious, what height are your tables and machines set at ?

At 6' 8" I am going to assume they need to be set high to keep from giving you a terrible back ache.

When I expanded the shop recently and made all new tables I made them 2 inches higher then my other table. What a difference 2 inches make. I do not feel that strain in my back leaning over. It is amazing what a huge diff those two little inches made.

These chairs I love. They put me right at the perfect height for sewing. We have several office chairs and none of them could be raised high enough.

Chris

[JuneC]

I'm right there with you, Darren, at a whopping 60 inches all told (though my driver's license says 5'2" - wishful thinking).  Works, though, when I have to get inside a seat storage bin to undo the nuts from some thru-bolted nightmare.

Mojo, that looks like a great chair, and at a very reasonable price.  I think I'll get on the stick and order one.  I do need to look at modifying the treadles in my tables to raise them though because I don't want to get hip pain from too-high seats. 

June

[Darren Henry]

Works, though, when I have to get inside a----

amen! I've been stuffed into too many tight spaces that no one else could work in all my life. That was part of the reason I became a shoe maker. Too many crawl spaces and cupboards in the ticketed trades.

Hope you get the weekend off to heal up a little.

[Mike]

Mono what is the hight range of thst chair it dosent say but with the barstool like footrest im thinking it is probably to tall for me. Im 6'4". And my tables are a out 30". They are wide so i. An rea k car across to vit things when i have to. When i sit in my chair my left arm rest on the table  comfortably any higher ind id fell like a kid atthe dinner table. I need a. Hair that sits hight enough but a 36" table i think would be to high what im used to. And id need a tall chair. Im thinking bobbin that a pallet under the k legs would raise the treadle also   Without raising the chair it would be odd lifti g your foot above the floor