Sam Villa, cofounder and chief creative officer of Sam Villa and global artistic ambassador for Redken, discusses how standing for hours, bending over shampoo bowls and unfitting tools increase the risk for repetitive strain, carpal tunnel and tendonitis.
“The importance of ergonomic design is vital to our industry…our mission at Sam Villa is to not only make our tools lighter to alleviate weight, but we’ve also designed them to be easily operated with minimal effort to reduce stress,” says Villa.
It is important for salon professionals to recognize the warning signs:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Burning, tingling or itching in the palm of the hand
- Swollen fingers
- “Restless” hands
- Decreased grip strength
- Inability to decipher hot from cold by the touch
Tendonitis
- Shooting pain in the neck, shoulders, upper back, forearms, wrists and hands
- Tremors, clumsiness and numbness
- Weakness in hands or forearms
- Chronic cold hands, particularly the fingertips
Tools for prevention:
- 1) Learn correct body positioning to reduce stress
- 2) Strengthen finger muscles to distribute action evenly
- 3) Use ergonomic tools such as lightweight blowdryers and shears designed to allow hands, wrists and elbows to operate in safe positions with minimal weight
- 4) Install shampoo bowls to the proper height to reduce stress from bending over
- 5) Utilize trolleys to minimize extra movement and weight
- 6) Take breaks from standing throughout the day by using rolling stools
