Hi.

Yesterday I played an outdoor set at a biker gig.  While it wasn't as cold as the rest of the country here in Texas, it was still cold.  The cold weather, combined with the element of my recent hand surgeries made my hands feel extremely stiff.  It was then that it popped in my mind about something I read here a long time ago about warming up hands by running some warm/hot water over them.  So I did it and it worked really well! Don't forget to try this if you're ever in a bind.

Thanks for the tip.  <sorry, I forgot whose idea it was>

Xena

<edit>
ps:  I made sure I went pee first just incase that elementary school prank of dipping people's hands in water while they're sleeping has any truth to it.
 

I usually take some mediumhot water over my hands and massage them a little, the important thing is to keep the wrist warm and relaxed so I tip you to buy some of those sweat things you have around your wrist and use it at all time:D

it makes the hands warm to and you don't have to worry to much about it=)

Chill!

If you like tha hand warmer pouch thingies you will love these.

Check e-bay, sporting good stores, or do a on-line search for a "zap-pac" made by Prism Enterprises  ( do a e-bay search under  "Heat Solution") These come in various sizes ( I like the 4" x 4" ones). There about $ 9.00       Its a clear pouch with a gel looking compound inside and a little disk in there, you break  or bend the disk and this gooey stuff fills the pouch and this bad boy gets to about 120 degrees for a good 20 minutes.  Very soothing on a sore muscle or for warming up hands, feet, or whatever.

The cool part is after your done with it, toss it in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes and it resets itself !!  You can use it over and over again.  These are like magic.   I keep a few around the house.
I've had mine for at least 5 years now, they just keep working

Warning..don't let your friends try these..they will beg and plead for them.

Another idea ...

This won't work for some who's just had hand surgery ... but I use centrifugal force to draw blood into my hands.

To do this, relax your arms and hands ... then begin swinging hands/arms up in the air over your head, then back down again. The force that is generated while doing this forces the blood back down into your hands ... and thus warms them. Just becareful that you don't swing your arms too hard.

Well ... I'm coming from the position that when my hands get really cold, there is NO blood moving in my hands; period. When my hands get to this piont, they are white as can be and look dead (lovely picture I know). When I have to use the centrifugal force technique I'm able to get blood back into my hands, in fact I can see it moving.

moosetication, I can see why you might feel this way, but when it's so cold that you run the risk of frostbite or simply can't move your hands, this is a great way to warm-up. The heart is not strong enough to pump blood throughout the body without the assistance of muscle movement ... especially through the legs.

I'm not suggesting that anyone swing there arms for minutes on end ... but just long enough to get blood back into the hands. Perhaps I should have qualified my suggestion by stating that this is for people who are so cold that hand movement is impossible, or they are fearing frost bite. I can't believe centrifugal force would so terrible that you couldn't do this for a short time. If it is, then just about every sport would causing pooling of the blood, etc. moosetication, I think you are taking what I've said to the extreme, which is not what I implied or intended.

Rubbing the hands (friction) doesn't work for me typically because I have a issue with the collagen in my tissues / vessels.

No ... because there are many muscle movements that occur even when we are asleep. If it were not for these muscle movements, the blood would not circulate well on it's own.


Well, I have been in very bad shape ... and no, there is no blood in the deep tissues when I've gotten this bad. The skin becomes translucent and you can see right through.

And yes, we aren't talking about frostbite ... but I believe you are taking my suggest to the extreme. My suggestion was doctor recommend, by several doctors as a matter of fact, although it was some ago ... so perhaps times (and views) have changed.

No need to have an attitude with all of this ... if you have sources/information, state them! No one knows if what you (or I) am saying has any truth or not. I've studied the subject matter, although I may not have a degree, and I'm sharing what I've learned over the years.

I suffered from Raynaud's Phenomenon when I was younger. I was told to use the warming technique I suggested earlier. Here's just one link that supports what I am saying; there are many more like it. Doesn't make me wrong or right, but it does show that I'm not the only one saying this.

How about educating us?! If it does what you say it does, then WHY is it not a problem in sports or playing drums for that matter. How is swinging my arms any different?

EDIT: In case anyone should think otherwise, having a specialized degree doesn't make that individual exempt from having to debate, support or defend their stance. I have to do that very thing every day on this drum forum despite my music degrees and educational background.

   ... when I was suggesting to swing the arms, I never suggested to make complete circles; around and around.  It's just a back and forth motion, like a swing on a swing-set. Nor did I ever suggest that you swing your arms for minutes on end. It's the same motion that a golfer uses as well as bowler. I'm sure there are more examples, but I would be wasting my time listing them obviously.

I don't think you have a clear understanding of Raynauds as there are two different kinds; Raynauds Phenomenon which I was diagnosed with some 20+ years ago, and Raynauds Disease ... which people can die from because it affects vital organs.

P.S. I don't need help in dealing with Raynauds. I only mentioned it as to explain how I learned about swinging the arms. In addition, I no longer have issues from Raynauds because God healed me from it.

I just want to throw in the fact that, after you warm your hands with water, MAKE SURE TO DRY THEM THOROUGHLY or they'll get cold again immediately.  

Thats a good idea about the sock bart, but there isn't usually a microwave at the pub when I play... but winter is coming, and at home that will help!

opto