Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Another wrist pain post (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by kimememememe
I know this is a fairly common question, but how do y’all deal with wrist pain? There’s a partner at my store who uses KT tape and my old trainer (no longer with us) used to wear a wrist brace. I’m pretty sure the wrist brace violates health code (and I’m hoping to not need one) but what are some other solutions y’all have found effective?
For more context, I’m a closer and I think the repetitive motion of using the spray bottles for cleaning + being the only person at my store to really scrub the dishes has been a death combo for my wrists. I do regularly stretch and try to avoid extended bar time, but my store has a bunch of new trainees so I’ve been on bar a lot more than usual in addition to my normal cleaning routine. The pain is now in both of my wrists, and on my dominant side (where the pain started) the pain goes all the way up to my shoulder.
Thanks y’all!
For more context, I’m a closer and I think the repetitive motion of using the spray bottles for cleaning + being the only person at my store to really scrub the dishes has been a death combo for my wrists. I do regularly stretch and try to avoid extended bar time, but my store has a bunch of new trainees so I’ve been on bar a lot more than usual in addition to my normal cleaning routine. The pain is now in both of my wrists, and on my dominant side (where the pain started) the pain goes all the way up to my shoulder.
Thanks y’all!
_lanalana_ 6 points 9m ago
Okay so! Because its so difficult to really avoid things that mess up your wrists in this line of work, the best thing to do is to manage the pain.
A wrist brace would be against health code, and is seriously such a pain in the butt to wear. But! Get one that holds your wrist still (a proper brace, not a compression sleeve) Wear it at night while you’re asleep. Its so much less in the way that way, and it helps so. Much.
Get a heating pad. An electric one, a microwaveable one, even just rice in a sock. Warm that sucker up and use that on your shoulders to help with the angry inflamed muscles. Use an ice pack as well. Alternate the heat and ice, but dont leave either on for too terribly long. 15-20 mins tops for each.
While working, be deliberate with your motions. Slow down, dont sling milk jugs and steaming pitchers around. Seriously! Its so much easier to overextend those wrist muscles when youre trying to go fast and just slinging stuff around however
A wrist brace would be against health code, and is seriously such a pain in the butt to wear. But! Get one that holds your wrist still (a proper brace, not a compression sleeve) Wear it at night while you’re asleep. Its so much less in the way that way, and it helps so. Much.
Get a heating pad. An electric one, a microwaveable one, even just rice in a sock. Warm that sucker up and use that on your shoulders to help with the angry inflamed muscles. Use an ice pack as well. Alternate the heat and ice, but dont leave either on for too terribly long. 15-20 mins tops for each.
While working, be deliberate with your motions. Slow down, dont sling milk jugs and steaming pitchers around. Seriously! Its so much easier to overextend those wrist muscles when youre trying to go fast and just slinging stuff around however
livingtrying 3 points 9m ago
This!
A few years ago, I worked at an ice cream shop which uses muscles I didn’t think existed. I never wore a brace at work but I did at night. After a few weeks, I was fine.
A few years ago, I worked at an ice cream shop which uses muscles I didn’t think existed. I never wore a brace at work but I did at night. After a few weeks, I was fine.
_lanalana_ 2 points 9m ago
Yep! I wore my brace every night for 2 weeks when my pain first started and now i hardly ever need it.
kimememememe [OP] 1 points 9m ago
This is so in depth and helpful thank you so much!! :’) I’ll definitely try the wrist brace at night thing and the heating pad! For the wrist brace I know there’s the soft wrap around kind that anchor at the thumb and the kind with 2-3 straps with a sort of rigid rib to hold the wrist still, which would you recommend?
I am definitely guilty of slinging milk jugs and going too fast 😅 I’m at a licensed store inside of Target and according to metrics we’re the busiest Target Starbucks in the nation, so we all tend to haul ass on bar just to keep up.
I am definitely guilty of slinging milk jugs and going too fast 😅 I’m at a licensed store inside of Target and according to metrics we’re the busiest Target Starbucks in the nation, so we all tend to haul ass on bar just to keep up.
_lanalana_ 1 points 9m ago
I use one with a rigid metal bar in it that holds the wrist still. I think it was like $20 at walmart?
5AV1OR 2 points 9m ago
Bio freeze helps pain and swelling a lot I highly recommend it
kimememememe [OP] 1 points 9m ago
We always joke about one of my coworkers being an old man for carrying around BioFreeze in his bag but I guess that’s gonna be me too now :’) thank you for the tip!!
5AV1OR 1 points 9m ago
It’s definitely a funny necessity lol. I literally dislocated my shoulder about a week ago and it literally took away all the pain the first few days
BiochemistChef 1 points 9m ago
I'm curious how people get wrist pain from Starbucks. I had an issue with my shoulder (I actually kept milks in the fridge and that constant up and down with the full gallons gave me issues )
Are you twisting the wrist too much while applying pressure? Instead of the arm being a unit? For example, when pouring milk, instead of moving the arm up which naturally tips the hand. Or scrubbing with the wrong part of the hand.
If you can, maybe swap the hands you're doing stuff with so one doesn't get strained too much? It can help it rest since I imagine you can't take weeks off from work for this
Are you twisting the wrist too much while applying pressure? Instead of the arm being a unit? For example, when pouring milk, instead of moving the arm up which naturally tips the hand. Or scrubbing with the wrong part of the hand.
If you can, maybe swap the hands you're doing stuff with so one doesn't get strained too much? It can help it rest since I imagine you can't take weeks off from work for this
kimememememe [OP] 1 points 9m ago
I’m not sure for others, but for me I think being on closing definitely contributes to it. We start our pre close around 4-5 usually so often when I’m on bar we don’t have the pitchers up on the towers anymore so picking them up (especially when they’re full) puts a lot of strain on odd spots of my wrist since I’m rather short and have to reach for them. I mentioned earlier the cleaning routine of having to 3-step all counters, plexiglass, basically everything that can’t go in the sink. The repeated motion of pulling the spray bottle trigger to fully saturate the surfaces 3 times over can get taxing.
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