Frozen shoulder from gas welding ?

[Premiershipman]

Just wondered if any other forum members have developed muscle strain/spasms from welding at all ?

I was doing a bit of gas welding at the weekend maybe about an hour or so, the torch is fairly heavy and the hoses add more weight also, i was standing and a bit stooped over.

Later on in the evening my right shoulder area started to really stiffen up and give me some pain, by the following lunchtime i had to visit A & E as my entire upper right hand side was agony and i was getting shooting pains up my spine into my skull and across the front of my chest.

It was diagnosed that the entire right hand side of my upper body was in full spasm and i was given diazepam and sent home in a sling with a prescription for naproxen and co codamol to deal with the pain and muscle spasm.

Anyone else had this happen, was it a case of bad posture and would i be better to have the hoses semi supported to take the weight in future ?

Thanks

Shady

 

[pedrobedro]

An hours welding caused all that ? I would seriously look for another cause, there are people who weld for a living who never suffer anything like what you are describing.

 

[bump]

How often do you weld? It could be a case of the muscles not used to being in that position.

 

[Premiershipman]

I have done a fair bit of mig, i can only assume that it was my position being hunched over holding the torch while keeping my arm half raised.

Bloody painful though !

 

[octo0072000]

I have done a fair bit of mig, i can only assume that it was my position being hunched over holding the torch while keeping my arm half raised.

Bloody painful though !

if your pipes are long enough put them over your shoulder so the pipes and torch are just balancing so all you are doing is holding just the torch end
the weight is then supported by the pipes on your shoulder so all you are doing is pointing the torch

 

[Premiershipman]

That thought had crossed my mind afterwards or maybe to have some hooks to suspend them.

Amazing how painful shoulder strain & fatigue can be though !

 

[bump]

I'm going to go with a position and infrequency of welding being the cause.

A half raised arm with a weight at the end of it is a killer if you aren't used to it.

 

[Premiershipman]

Im hoping so, don't ever want that pain again !