American Society of Hand Therapists - California Chapter

Holiday Hand Safety 101:  ASHT Offer Tips for a Safe Carving Season

Nothing says “Thanksgiving” like football, family and the enticing aromas of turkey, stuffing, yams and pumpkin pie. But no matter what’s included in a Thanksgiving spread, one dish nobody anticipates is a hand injury. This holiday season, ASHT cautions carvers to take steps to carve the main course and not their own hands.

Every year during Thanksgiving, and throughout the holiday season, people sustain hand injuries while preparing their holiday feast. From cutting open pumpkins to carving the mouthwatering centerpiece, hand injuries are all too common. Fortunately, these injuries are avoidable. 

Holiday hand injuries are not exclusively linked to carving turkeys, hams, and roasts. Many hand injuries also occur during post-meal clean-up. Care needs to be taken when washing dishes—particularly soap-covered, slippery glasses.  Many tendon and nerve injuries are caused by crystal breaking while washing glasses by hand.

Don’t let your turkey day celebrations go fowl this year because of a hand injury. Follow these easy tips and get your bird on the table in time so guests can start gobbling.

• Never cut towards yourself. One slip of the knife can cause a horrific injury.  While carving a turkey or cutting a pumpkin your free hand should be placed opposite the side you are carving towards. Don’t place your hand underneath the blade to catch the slice of meat.
• Keep your cutting area well-lit and dry. Good lighting will help prevent an accidental cut of the finger and making sure your cutting surface is dry will prevent ingredients from slipping while chopping.
• Keep your knife handles dry. A wet handle can prove slippery and cause your hand to slip down onto the blade resulting in a nasty cut.
• Keep all cutting utensils sharp. A sharp knife will never need to be forced to cut, chop, carve or slice. A knife too dull to cut properly is still sharp enough to cause an injury.
• Use an electric knife to ease the carving of the turkey or ham.
• Use kitchen sheers to tackle the job of cutting bones and joints.
• Leave meat and pumpkin carving to the adults.  Children have not yet developed the dexterity skills necessary to safely handle sharp utensils. 

Use the right tool for the job – Use easy-to-grip versions of tools like spoons, knives, and bottle/can openers to decrease the stress on your hands and use scissors to open bags (or packages) instead of your thumbs.  Look for tools that have oversized handles (rather than narrow/standard) - this will allow you to get the job done without requiring a tight grip and pinch.

Sit or stand up straight – Correct posture is important because the nerves that operate your fingers start in your neck. Slouching puts pressure on the neck and shoulders, which in turn can hinder the amount of motion in your arms and hands or may cause pain radiating down your arms.  During activities which require you to be looking down at what you are doing, like chopping vegetables, take a moment to stand up straight, turn your head side to side/up and down, and stretch your arms over your head

Slide, do not lift – Do not lift heavy pots and pans - slide them off burners and onto hot pads along the counter whenever possible.  When working in the oven, always slide the shelf out so you can get a good, safe grasp of the panhandles.  If the pot is heavy, ask for help to take it out of the oven.  This may take more time, but always choose safety over speed in the kitchen.

Use mitt-style potholders - The mitt-style potholder is generally safer than the simple flat design.  Mitt styles protect both the top and bottom of your hands and let you concentrate on picking up the hot dish rather than trying to keep a flat potholder from sliding away from the hot handle.

Clean cutlery carefully - When washing your cutlery, do not put knives and sharp tools in the soapy dishwater and then search blindly to find them.  If you miss the handle and grab the blade, you may cut the tendons in your hand, which may require surgery and rehabilitation. Instead, clean knives individually with soap and water and rinse immediately.

Use lightweight kitchen equipment - Using plastic instead of glass when having a house full of guests is safer for many reasons.  Plastic is not likely to break and it is easier to stack. It is also easier to transport from room to room because of its lighter weight.

Keep your shoulders down – While working in the kitchen, your arms should be at your sides and the counters you work on should be waist high.  Many kitchen counters are too high for the average person. As a result, you may be forced to raise the shoulder you are using to cut the food and lean to the opposite side of your body when preparing food.  This causes increased stress on the neck, shoulder and arm muscles and nerves. 

Don’t use the naked hand with jars and tops – Unscrewing a tight jar lid can be tough on your finger and wrist joints.  Before you open any jar or bottle, turn it upside down and tap the bottom lightly against the countertop two or three times.  Listen for the jar to pop, indicating that the suction has been broken. If the jar has previously been opened, you may try running the lid under warm water to soften any dried product holding the lid closed. Then use a rubber top or a “Y” jar opener to finish opening the top.   Better yet, select those cans at the store that can be opened with an electric can opener. It is recommended to use an electric can opener whenever possible as this activity can be particularly difficult for those with weakened or sore hands.

Stretch – Note: These exercises should never be painful when completing them. You should only feel a gentle stretch. Should you experience pain, please consult a hand therapist or physician.

Pay attention – It is hard to focus on the task at hand when family and friends are vying for your attention.  When chopping, removing hot items from the oven, or carrying a heavy object, it is important to take your time and watch what you are doing.  These are prime opportunities to have an accident, which could result in a cut, burned or injured finger, hand or arm.

Lastly, should you cut your finger or hand, bleeding from minor cuts will often stop on their own by applying direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. Visit an emergency room or a hand surgeon if:

Continuous pressure does not stop the bleeding after 15 minutes;

You notice persistent numbness or tingling in the fingertip;

You are unsure of your tetanus immunization status or