Grooming pains

Grooming is one of those physical jobs that requires you to be conscious of ergonomics.

The table should be at the right height so you're not leaning over to groom or reaching up higher than your shoulder to groom. If you can't adjust the table height try to sit or even kneel. When a table is too high the dog should be moved to a lower table top. But don't even offer to groom a dog on the floor - what a nightmare for your back!

Speaking of backs - lifting big dogs is another thing to be careful of. Even two little dogs can be too much if you have to ring the door bell or open a door or step up into a grooming van! Another thing that can bother your back is simply standing for hours on end. Putting one foot on a stool for some time here and there helps. Also sitting a bit helps too. Too often I hear someone say that their old groomer is not working for at least a few months because of a back injury. So take care of your back.

The way you hold your brush, comb, shears, and electric clipper can wreak havoc on your hands, wrists, and elbows. Carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, painful fingers and thumbs are common. Be sure to stretch all these parts of the body, more than once a day. Try not keep your wrist straight and your upper arm relaxed at your side. I ended up with a lot of shoulder pain because I was holding my arm up at shoulder height all day long while combing, brushing, clipping and scissoring. Eventually I couldn't lift my arm at all and had to have physical therapy for 6 weeks! Now I stretch in the shower every day and am conscious of what I'm doing with my arms while I work so that I don't over do any one position. Search the internet for physical therapy exercises to see what kind of stretching you should be doing.

Your feet can be in pain if you stand on a hard floor all day. If you groom in a shop or a van be sure to get those thick rubber mats made to comfort feet and legs. If you are on the streets like me, good shoes are a must and sit down when you can.

Carrying around grooming tools in a backpack can also be a source of injury. I weighed my backpack today and it was 11.8 pounds. I'd like it to be lighter. I just started using a new backpack - well an old one that belongs to my girlfriend. It's a good quality backpack with nice padding and nice straps but the straps seem to sit a little too far apart for me - on the front of my shoulders rather than on my chest. I think I have to shop around for something that fits me better. I feel like the weight is causing pain in my shoulders by the end of the day. Rolling a bag behind me has it's own disadvantages but maybe I should consider it again.