full image - Repost: Carpal tunnel syndrome and an animation career (from Reddit.com, Carpal tunnel syndrome and an animation career)
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Hey all, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post but I'm looking for some advice. I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands at 18 years old, right in the first year of art school, I am now almost 24 and the symptoms have affected my life very significantly. It was manageable for most of school, but by my final year I wore wrist braces every single night (and often during the day). I graduated with honors just over 2 years ago now, and my CTS has continued to get worse and worse. I have an atypical case of CTS because it affects my non dominant side the most, but both hands get very bad numbness, swelling, and nerve pain. Right after graduation, I got a 2 month contract animating a 2D trailer for a local non profit, it was very difficult work but I loved every second of it, however by the end of my contract I was having significant difficulties keeping up the pace due to CTS symptoms (and regular ol' creative burnout). After my contract, I was hired as a dishwasher and had to leave that job due to CTS symptoms, then I got a job at a local pet store which is where Ive been for a couple years now. Lately that creative fire has started up in me again and I've been working incredibly hard to create more portfolio pieces, network with people, and be a bigger part of my local art and animation community. But as I've done more, my health has gotten worse to the point where I recently had CTS surgery on my left hand, which helped immensely. I'm now fearing I'll also need the surgery in my right hand, and at the same time I am getting some significant problems in my left elbow. I know sometimes these surgeries need to be redone over the years if symptoms continue. I think I'm coming to another flare up in my right hand as the seasons shift and EVERY time I sit down to draw, write, or work on anything, the symptoms become significant (it was severely affecting my sleep, mental health, and ability to do normal every day tasks before surgery on my left hand). Part of me is really fearing that I'll never be able to break into animation or art as a career, its everything I've worked for and an extremely important part of my life, but I also understand that its only becoming more and more competitive over time and quick turnaround is one of the most important aspects of the career. I recently had an awful experience doing a commission for a family friend that turned from a 2 month commission into an 8 month commission because my physical and mental health couldn't keep up. I try to do everything I can to take good care of my health, but when these symptoms flare up I can barely function at my retail job, nevermind an art job where I use my hands 24/7. I'm terrified of the idea that I'll never be able to work as an artist, and I'm not sure exactly what to think or feel about all this. I don't know what steps I can take to move forwards if I just keep running into more and more health problems, especially since these problems are likely to recur when I'm older considering I'm so young right now. Its coming to a point where I'm fearful of applying for new jobs and contracts, or agreeing to commission work because I'm worried I won't be able to finish the work in time because of these health problems. TLDR; Ive had carpal tunnel syndrome since I was 18, and its gotten much much worse over the years, I am now almost 24. I graduated art school with honors, but in my first animation contract I began to have significant health struggles near the end of the 2 month period. I'm concerned about my ability to keep up with an art career, but its such an important part of my life, I cant imagine working towards anything else with the same kind of passion or ambition. This situation has made me nervous to apply for art jobs or even take commissions as CTS has significantly affected my speed and availability. I'm not sure how to move forwards from here. Sorry for the text wall, this has been in my mind a while. Can anybody shed light on this nervousness for me? Or give me advice? Or even just tell me your own experience with carpal tunnel syndrome as an artist/animator, especially if you've had the surgery? I'm also having trouble finding information on ergonomics for CTS and drawing specifically, whether a standing desk is worthwhile, or what I can do besides those dang wrist stretches (which I never have found helped much...), etc.
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