# Trouble with Hand Milking



## ETgoatygirl (Mar 23, 2012)

Last year I had trouble with my hands, from hand milking a lot of goats. It got to the point where it hurt milking so much that I had to dry the girls off and give my hands a break. They would get very tired in general too. I went to a doctor and he thinks I may have the beginning of carpal tunnel. What should I do to help my hands when I milk my girls? Are hand exercises good to do with carpal tunnel, or not? Thanks.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have arthritic fingers and my wrists too sometimes hurt, what I have found that works to relieve discomfort is to be able to milk where your hands are level with the does teats, as well as your elbows. Squeezing and releasing a tennis ball also helps to strengthen those muscles used for milking.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I also wear wrist supports. Actually wrap them with some vet wrap!


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I fractured my wrist a few years back and I have a nerve that gets kinked when I milk and maybe carpel tunnel too I don't know. All I know is its painful and hard to move my right hand at all when it starts getting caught. I have a brace for my wrist and it helps a bit but I don't know what else to do. Be careful with the braces though some of them can pinch the teat depending on how you milk. Have you tried milking from behind? I have found it is less stress on my joints that way. I have a video of me milking if you want to see.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Im in the same boat ^^^. I dont have to many dairy goats, Gabbie has big sausage udders which I can milk well. I have a ez milker, I dont think much of it, it doesnt seem to get all the milk out, and I think it takes more time to do. But it is less painful, what about that? If you dont want them to dry up you would still have to milk a small amount, but might be what you need. Im using mine on shortcake right now, she has very small teats and kills me to milk by hand so I have been doing the ez milker, but not milking after it so she can slowly dry up.


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

I don't really have too much of a hand problem. More of a nerve problem.
I have a lot of nerve damage in my legs from strong antibiotics I was on for Lymes disease(which wouldn't you know they don't use that anymore) and from lymes disease in general.
My legs (usually the right leg) shake uncontrollably and my hands sometimes shake as well because of that.
Sometimes it is a spasm that goes through my arm.
So it doesn't hurt but is just uncomfortable with the shaking and spasms that I can't control.
I am finding it has a lot to do with where and how I have my legs and arms while milking.
Last year I noticed something going on with my hands, hoping it doesn't happen this year as I will be milking more goats.
It is also a nerve problem where I think a nerve pinches while milking.
So for me I doubt much can be done.

I hope you can find something that works for you. Either a brace or exercising your hands.
Or you could just get a milk machine? That doesn't take much to hook up and your hands would get a break.
They are pricey though.


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## ETgoatygirl (Mar 23, 2012)

Thanks all for the great suggestions. I do wear a hand brace at night on the hand that bothers me the most. And sometimes during the day. Hmm, I'll have to think about trying to milk with it on... I hope my hands will be just fine this year, after a much needed rest. Happy hands to all!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Yeah, I too have problems with pain in my hands/wrists. Milking has actually helped for the most part. But sometimes with my two that are harder to milk I have to take a break. Tabatha is my best for easy milking but I have to retire her this year. One of her daughters milks just like her but the other does not. I am retaining her one doeling from this year hoping for another easy milker. Hopefully, some day, all of my goats will be easy to squeeze.
I do use Arnica cream on my hands at night. It really helps it not hurt as much when I milk in the mornings. You can usually find it at health food stores though some mainstream stores are starting to carry it as well.


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## ETgoatygirl (Mar 23, 2012)

*Easy milkers and Arnica*

Thanks for the Arnica suggestion luvmyherd! I actually already use that frequently when my hands hurt, but great suggestion.. It really seems to help, doesn't it? We use it all the time. I have one doe that is extremely easy to milk, while the others, not so much I plan on selling the doe that is the hardest for me to milk (such tiny teats) this year. That should help. I think I will keep a girl kid out of my easiest milker in the hopes that the kid will carry on mom's easy milking ability. If she has a girl, that is


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## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

My goodness, the things we we put ourselves through... :laugh: Well, I have pain problems too in my hands/wrist. Like Xymenah, I fractured my wrist 4 years ago, and there are pinched nerves there now, and now I have pinched nerves in my other hand from doing things like milking, knitting, typing on the computer... I often times lose complete feeling in my left arm, from the elbow all the way down, and it will stay like that for a good 45 minutes on average. I also have pinched nerves in both of my legs from milking on a stand that's too wide, for so many years. Miking will kill ya' if you let it, by Jove...

The arnica sounds like an excellent idea Luvmyherd! I may try that this year come milking time... For my hands and wrists, I'll often do exercises that I learned while doing therapy for my fracture. One good one is to find a soft ball (soft enough that you can squeeze it, but firm enough that it takes some effort) and practice squeezing it while your hand is submerged in hot water. Squeeze the ball for 5 seconds, then let go and rest for 5 seconds... Only do this about 10 times. As you progress, hold the ball for longer periods before letting go. The hot water _really_ helps!


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