Are you counting down the days? Thanksgiving is one of America’s favorite holidays, but preparing a traditional turkey feast can be overwhelming.
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Trying to get it all done can result in hand and wrist injuries or aggravate conditions like tendonitis, carpal tunnel or arthritis. Dr. Morgan Weber, an SSM Health orthopedic hand surgeon, has hand safety tips to keep in mind during your meal prep so you can fully enjoy the holiday.
Cuts
“Cutting your hand is the most common kitchen injury,” says Dr. Weber. “Most cuts are minor and can be taken care of through basic first aid, but sometimes they’re more serious. Tendons, nerves, and ligaments could be severed. Also, garbage disposal blades can be very sharp and cause hand and wrist injuries. Sometimes people push food too far down while the garbage disposal is on or try to retrieve a piece of jewelry or something that has fallen in and cut themselves on the blades.”
Burns
Burns in the kitchen are also common. Whether it’s due to boiling water, splattering grease, or hot pans and oven dishes, burns can happen on your hands and other body parts. Most burns don’t require a visit to an emergency room. However, severe burns do require immediate medical attention, and sometimes surgical treatment.
Existing conditions can increase risk
There are also existing conditions that can be aggravated while you’re making the holiday meal. For example, tendonitis, carpal tunnel and arthritis can flare up and put you at greater risk for accidents and injury.
“Tendonitis happens when a tendon becomes inflamed due to little tears,” says Dr. Weber. “A significant increase in repetitive hand use during Thanksgiving meal prep, like chopping veggies, can inflame tendons and cause pain. It’s possible to actually rupture the tendon which requires reconstructive wrist surgery. Arthritis is swelling of the joints and repetitive motions using an arthritic hand, cause more swelling and pain.”
Carpal tunnel is a painful condition where a nerve in the wrist is compressed by swollen tissue. In severe cases, the muscles in your hand may become very weak and cause you to lose fine motor skills. Whisking and mixing motions can cause pressure on your wrist and intensify the pain. Moderate or severe carpal tunnel can require surgery, which involves cutting a ligament within the wrist to relieve nerve pressure.
Prevention is key
So how can we prevent injuries? Dr. Weber says we may need to change the way we normally operate in the kitchen.
“First, be open to changing how you do things,” says Weber. “Choose an electric can opener over a manual opener and save wear and tear on your wrists. It’s also a good idea to slide the oven shelf out of the oven for a better grip on dish handles. You can also use lightweight dishes and thicker, easy-to-grip utensils to decrease the stress on your hands.” Sharpen your knives. A dull knife requires more pressure and be sure to cut in a motion away from your body when trimming the turkey. Also don’t place your hand underneath the meat you’re slicing as so many people do.
“Use oven mitts instead of the flat, square potholders, because mitts protect the top and bottom of your hands. They also help keep your hands in the proper positions while moving hot, heavy items and don’t require tricky hand or wrist placements,” suggests Weber.
Always keep a first-aid kit handy. If you burn yourself, cool the burn under cold running water immediately to help ease the pain and prevent or reduce blistering. Wash minor cuts with a disinfectant and pat dry with a clean cloth. Then, apply an antibiotic cream and bandage to keep it clean.
As always, for any moderate to severe burn or injury, be sure to see a medical professional. Have a happy, safe Thanksgiving Day and enjoy the blessings of food, family and friends.
Noticing signs of arthritis, carpal tunnel or wrist tendonitis? Learn more about how our wrist and hand specialists can help and request an appointment.
