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Sep 2023

I'm drawing my manga, and surprise Suprise something always happens to me. :cry_01:

Every time I draw my fingers go numb. I don't know if it's the type of drawing tablet I have (I have a deco-fun tablet after years of display tablets). Or I have a pinched nerve. If anyone has experienced that issue when drawing, do you have any recommendations? Please and thank you. :nervous_candy:

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    Sep '23
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    Sep '23
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Could be the angle you're drawing in that's putting too much pressure on your nerves, or it could be you're putting too much pressure when you press on your pen. Either way, make sure to take regular breaks and definitely do the stretches that have been recommended.

Thank you so much! I'm going to save this video and image. I forget that artists also have to stretch once in a while. :sweat_02:

It could be both. I'm used to display tablets so I've always been light handed with them (in order for them to not break XD), but since getting the pen tablet I've been putting a little bit too much pressure. I'll be sure to incorporate breaks.

If the above doesn't help, lemme give you my niche chronic hand pain experience advice.

Numbness can also be due to a lack of strength, so doing strengthening exercises might help. I can't really draw with a pencil anymore so I have no idea what exercises may be suitable for you. I can only generally advise wrist and arm curls and resistance exercises for your fingers (think thumb wars with yourself).

It can also be from coldness/poor circulation. My circulation is shit and my hands have turned blue and numb before (but if that happens to you, its not a normal thing and you should get it checked out). I have a lot of heating devices handy whenever I'm drawing cuz my hands get cold fast.

If nothing here helps, please seek professional help. Better to catch an issue earlier than later.

Hmmm I've had two fingers turn purplish from the cold before, so that may be a concern. I think I'll schedule a Dr.'s appointment soon and have it checked out. Thanks!! :smile_01:

I barely experience any kind of pain in my fingers or wrists. And I mostly worked on a XP-Pen Star G640 most of the time, so I believe the issue is not your tablet.

What may be the problem are the following things:

  1. You don't warm up before drawing
    That means you don't stretch your fingers nor wrists, you have to keep your fingers warm. Some have already provided exercises, so do those.

  2. You have bad posture
    This could be because your screen is not aligned for you to look straight to it, you either have to look down or up. Try getting a riser for your computer screen/notebook.
    Check out the height of your chair as well, you have to be able to put your feet at 90° and to utilize the chair's back, as well you need to make sure that your arm is not "hanging" nor "rising" too much on the desk's surface, it has to be able to let you relax your arms.
    Then, where you're placing your tablet matters too, you need to be able to move your elbow* comfortably regardless of the size of the drawing surface.

  3. What and where you're going to draw matters
    There are different ways to hold a pen2 depending on what you're doing, you won't hold a pen for drawing the same way you'll hold a pen for writting. But the most important thing is to avoid moving the wrist, I know is tempting, but the best way to avoid pain in your hands is by learning to use your elbow and move it instead of your wrist, it takes time to build this habit and its even harder since for small details, moving your wrist is allowed.
    The amount of pressure you're putting also matters; if you're the kind that no matter how much you use an eraser, you can still see the outline you made then maybe you're implementing a lot of force innecessarily. You can help yourself fix this:
    Digitally: By lowering the sensitivity in your tablet settings
    Traditionally: Get a pen, let it fall a few times, practice by doodling around. Why let it fall? So the tip breaks more easily and it'll force you to be more gentle.

  4. Warm up and stretch by taking breaks and especially when you finish your drawing session.
    Same exercises, for breaks its better if you can do it in 10 minutes, after finishing your drawing session, then around 20 minutes its better.

  5. You use your hands for everything besides drawing, take care of them
    You probably do house chores, lift stuff and literally do everything with your hands, so keeping in mind to take care of them is important, that means every now and then going to a manicurist, putting your hands in warm water with rock salt or alibour water for as long until the water gets room temperature, then using exfoliating cream not only to remove dead skin but incentivate blood flow, clean that up since there'll remain bits of the exfoliating cream, and then applying a nutritious cream to keep them hydrated and soft.

  6. If the pain is very frequent, and it lasts more than a week, then go to your doctor
    This is important, no matter if its your fingers, your wrist or the palm of your hand, fatigue can last around 3-4 days, and around a week if you've been a savage ignoring the early signs. If more than a week goes by and the pain is still there, and it doesn't get away even for a moment with the previous methods, then that pain could be chronic.
    Your doctor will be able to tell if there is actual damage, be it in the muscle or the bones. While a lot of people recommend paraffin baths for pains such as the ones from arthritis, Carpal tunnel or tendinitis, the warm temperature may cause more damage if the cause is not one of those. Self medications is never the answer for these cases and even a manicurist should avoid proceeding with the paraffin bath if there is not approval from the doctor.

Hmm I do suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. I'll have to see my doctor next week and see what he recommends. Are there different supports for artists? I know with writer's there are those wrist support things that go near your keyboard.

@RedLenai

Not that I know, the supports I see recommended over here for either writers, artists or just anyone with a chronic condition wears either gloves, wristbands, splint support, cotton bandages, etc. Will all depend on where the pain is located, and what type of support the doctor recommends based on that pain or how to avoid more damage.

If you're talking about the wrist cushions2, those do help a bit with comfort but if you're dealing with Carpal tunnel syndrome then the logical recommendation would be a proper metacarpal wristband6. Yet the design or brand may vary according to your condition, or where the support is needed besides the wrist.

Hmm okay, I'll be sure to check those out. I have a wrist band from the times I've sprained my wrists, but it's not as sturdy as that one. Thank you.

Which fingers are going numb and where? You can usually tell pretty easily if it’s nerve-related and which nerve it is based on the numbness pattern. It can also be blood-flow related. Both types of impingements can occur anywhere between your wrist to the back of your neck (though the blood flow one is usually in the neck/collarbone/pec area), so another thing to check for is any other pains while you draw.

The most important finger for clear communication! Take care of it.