Bones Jarring Bones

Maybe I should have called this post "Antlers Jarring Bones"

On Thursday, I stayed in the lab after class and worked on a large nodule which eventually turned into a large biface. I used a heavy elk antler billet which I have not used for a long time. I got great results, but that night, I noticed that my wrist, thumb, and forefinger on my right hand(the hand I use to apply percussion) were quite sore. It was almost as if I had sprained part of my hand and wrist. I also noticed that My upper left thigh was a little sore from absorbing the part of the shock of my percussion blows.

This isn't any great revelation, but I thought it was interesting. Ancinet people had to have been aware of the risks involved with flintknapping. Massive cuts, risk of eye injury, lung damage (at least from obsidian dust), and many other things which could easily debilitate someone.

Currently, my sprains/strains are healing, but for most of Friday and today I have noticed a slight discomfort and a loss of strength in my forearm.

I speculate that avoiding injury may have been a factor in the production of stone tools.
Nobody wants to cut their hand open or even loose a finger, let alone sprain their wrist and thumb.