Arm problems, the ERJ and YOU
#1
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 20
From: 7ER B...whatever that means.
I'll apologize now for the corny thread title.
But seriously, I've been flying the ERJ for about 2 years now and have started to notice pain in my right (flying arm) wrist and elbow where I've never had pain before. I mentioned it to a captain I was flying with and he told me he had experienced a similar thing in his left arm. He said it had something to do with the angle of the ram horns and the weird stress it puts on the tendons in your arm when moving the yoke. I'm 24 and exercise regularly (tennis, swimming and regular gym workouts) so I have a hard time believing I'm starting to get "old timer" aches and pain or carpal tunnel. I'm curious, any one else out there notice anything similar or am I the only one?

But seriously, I've been flying the ERJ for about 2 years now and have started to notice pain in my right (flying arm) wrist and elbow where I've never had pain before. I mentioned it to a captain I was flying with and he told me he had experienced a similar thing in his left arm. He said it had something to do with the angle of the ram horns and the weird stress it puts on the tendons in your arm when moving the yoke. I'm 24 and exercise regularly (tennis, swimming and regular gym workouts) so I have a hard time believing I'm starting to get "old timer" aches and pain or carpal tunnel. I'm curious, any one else out there notice anything similar or am I the only one?
#3
I flew the EMB-120 as well as played tennis in college and yes the awkward horn yoke can apply pressures to your tendons when turning right and left which can cause them to strain. I recommend looking to a Tennis Elbow brace; it should help by relieving some of the stress when applying force to the horns.
This problem probably stems from playing tennis as it did for me. I use the brace and shortly after my elbow returned to normal.
Best of luck!
This problem probably stems from playing tennis as it did for me. I use the brace and shortly after my elbow returned to normal.
Best of luck!
#4
I haven't experienced any arm pain but let me take this opportunity to say, if there are any Embraer engineers reading this, that I hate that stupid ram's horns yoke, and I hate how the pivot point is different than all the rest of the transport category airliners out there.
The yoke is about as good as the rest of the cockpit's design: terrible.
The yoke is about as good as the rest of the cockpit's design: terrible.
#6
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 20
From: 7ER B...whatever that means.
I flew the EMB-120 as well as played tennis in college and yes the awkward horn yoke can apply pressures to your tendons when turning right and left which can cause them to strain. I recommend looking to a Tennis Elbow brace; it should help by relieving some of the stress when applying force to the horns.
This problem probably stems from playing tennis as it did for me. I use the brace and shortly after my elbow returned to normal.
Best of luck!
This problem probably stems from playing tennis as it did for me. I use the brace and shortly after my elbow returned to normal.
Best of luck!
Did you notice anything in your wrist too or just in the elbow? Both problems for me started at about the same time.
#7
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 20
From: 7ER B...whatever that means.
) who handflys everything. I usually handfly to about 10K and then 1000-2000 on down (unless Mr. Honeywell does something goofy). So like a grand total of 10-12 minutes per flight?
#9
Interesting that you mention the arm brace because that's what started the conversation with the captain I mentioned. Every time it was his leg, I noticed him put a compression band on his left arm so I asked him about it and he told me about the tendon thing. He said he went down to the employee clinic and told them about the pain and they gave him the brace right then and there. Made me think it must be something they know about or have dealt with in the past. I might have to look into that...
Did you notice anything in your wrist too or just in the elbow? Both problems for me started at about the same time.
Did you notice anything in your wrist too or just in the elbow? Both problems for me started at about the same time.
#10


