Arm Numbness Anyone?

Mozhoven

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2012
Messages
171
Location
Middletown, CT
Hello all,

I'm new to this hobby and have about 3 months in so far and approximately 60 hours of swinging time. Within the last 3 weeks or so, I've begun to experience numbness in my right arm. I've done some research and this happens to many people, but often it's a pinched nerve in the neck (due to sleeping in awkward positions). That being said, I find it more than coincidence that it's come about around the same time as my new hobby.

Anyway, I figured I would drop a line here and see if it has happened to anyone else. Thoughts?
 
My fingers do get numb if I am out for a long time, but I just change arms and just keep moving along. I think the forearm strap cuts of the blood flow a little LOL.
 
it sounds to me like a pinched nerve. bending, twisting, swinging, digging, doing the "happy dance(?)".... any one of which could have caused it.
it wouldn't hurt to get it checked out if it persists for any length of time. :yes:

my arm(s) tend to go the other way, they hurt instead of getting numb. ligament or muscle issues that weren't caused by detecting, but swinging sure aggravates it sometimes. :(

Pete
 
It sounds like you might not have you the length of the lower rod set right, of course I can't be sure without watching you swing but having your lower rod set too long can cause repetitive stress to the muscles and tendons in your arm. A lot of people do set their rod length too long as doing so will let you swing a wider arc but the cost is arm sorness.

You should have the lower rod set so that if you are holding the search coil about 2 inches off the ground just in front of your feet then your arm will be completely straight wihout a bend in your elbow or in your wrist. In other words your arm bones should be taking the weight of the detector not the muscles in your arm. Then when you are swinging you only want to swing as far as you can without bending your elbow in other words keep your arm as straight as you can. Setting your lower rod this way will limit you to swinging in an arc about 90 to 110 degrees around you (where as setting it too long can get you 150 to 180 degrees of coverage so it will limit your arc length but your arm will feel a lot better.

This is more important if your detector isn't well balanced as some manufacturers including Garrett don't pay attention to things like detector ergonomics and balance. The AT Pro is very coil heavy with the standard coil on it. Lots of folks have switched to the smaller coil as they say that it puts the detector in balance since the smaller coil is quite a bit lighter than the default coil. I still have the default coil on my ATP and really notice how much more effort it takes to swing it than my T2 SE (which is perfectly balanced and light) or even my Explorer SE Pro which is balanced pretty good but is quite a bit heavier than the ATP.
 
In your armpit there's a big vene - If you wear too much clothes, and carry the veight of your detector, then you might block it and cause the symptoms you are having.

try switching hand once in a while, or hold your elbow a bit further to the side, away from your body.

You could get a hipmount kit for your detector (swingy-tingy or something like that) to move the weight from your arm to your shoulders.

HH.

/Steffen
 
There is always the option to do a few minutes of basic upper body weight training to raise your overall ability to hold the detector without stress. On a more realistic note, you could try taking some suppliments that help musculo-skeletal and nervous system health. Potassium and vitamin D can make a huge difference. I had a D deficiency and it ruined my life for 2 years before I finally went to the doctor. I was literally walking crooked.
 
I am out of work this week. Severe neck & shoulder pain. 2 diff. medications. Neurotin & Prednisone. I am better but this stuff is making me drowsy & not able to drive or work. The doc said it will take care of the pain with exercises he gave. Sports Medicine is his specialty. If it doesn't help in the next week I'm gonna find me a good Chiropractor. My last one went out of business several years ago.:shrug: I don't think the metal detector caused it. My Cibola weighs 2.2 lbs. The reason I bought it. Running printing presses for the last 35 years & playing bass guitar for 45 years probably is the culprit. Good luck with the problem.
 
Hello all,

I'm new to this hobby and have about 3 months in so far and approximately 60 hours of swinging time. Within the last 3 weeks or so, I've begun to experience numbness in my right arm. I've done some research and this happens to many people, but often it's a pinched nerve in the neck (due to sleeping in awkward positions). That being said, I find it more than coincidence that it's come about around the same time as my new hobby.

Anyway, I figured I would drop a line here and see if it has happened to anyone else. Thoughts?

I broke my back in 83 and crushed under drywall in 06. Every time i hunt i go through the numbness trip later that night. After while it builds charicter, The pain pills help to.:D
 
Yes....but I have MS...I don't know who.what to blame.

My first few days were PAINFUL...but....Im getting better.....

Knees, back, arms, hands, fingers....geez...

My biggest complaint now is, is that my hands are cramping up. Right hand from holding the MD, and my left hand from digging....can't win.:(

Therapeutic it is.
 
you might try getting a lighter more well balanced detector, when i first started detecting i had a garrett ace 350 i would come home with a sore arm and shoulder my hand would be numb after 6 months i sold it and got a fisher f70 it was like night and day i could swing that thing all day and feel fine although my hands and back did get sore from digging alot of targets it really did make difference hh
 
I had the same problem. What I did was I attached a D ring on my ACE 250 right below the main unit. I then have a bungie cord attached to an old laptop bag strap and I attach one end to a belt loop on my back of my pants, have it slung over my shoulder and the other end to the D ring. It is adjusted so that I just need to push down just a bit so it actually feels like it's actually floating. Worked for me.

Good Luck
 
If you're looking for light weight detector Tesoro is the brand to look at. Only way to get lighter would be to mount the control box on your belt & swing with just the shaft & coil. :my2cents:
 
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