Our hands deserve that we take care of them. If you are a knitter, crocheter, or use your hands for a repetitive motion such as …
34 Comments
I am a little mad at myself because I am looking forward to finishing my granny square blanket. But I need to stop for a little because I am feeling it in my head. 😢
Wow it definitely doesn’t take me 6 hours to get numbness or pain lol more like an hour or even less if it’s a certain knitting or crochet with smaller sized needles/hooks
Ah thank you. I have had to stop knitting due to arthritis and I can no longer make a fist as some of my fingers will not bend. Anyway I changed to weaving and now I have repetitive strain in my shoulders and neck aaaahhhhh
I can relate. I wanted to gift a few hats knitted in smaller yarns and I knitted everyday and it did hurt. Best thing is take many breaks. Set a timer for 30 min and take a break for 20 min or more. Then knit again. And no more than a few hours a day. I also found it would be helpful to have a few different projects of different needles and structures (round and flat with different needle sizes). And alternatively knit every other day. Stretching helps but by the time you feel discomfort your hands are already fatigued. I also found it helpful to knit not every day. This was hard as I wanted to knit hours everyday. But when I was starting out, I knitted like 6-8 hours without many breaks and there came to a point I couldn’t grasp anything and I couldn’t wring any towels, or grab or hold a knife even. Yeah it was so bad I had to take a month break. But eventually healed. Some people won’t heal and you would have to go to a doctor and get cortisone shots so you can function normally. Since then I decided to be kind to my hands. Then it’s much better. My project comes out nicer too at the end.
If arthritis runs in your family, as in mine, learning about what kind of arthritis that is, can help solve the problem. My mother had gauty arthritis which means she was having way too much animal protein and dairy protein. These produce purines and more uric acid. My pain was so bad I could hardly type or sign my paychecks. My signature did not look right anymore.
I switched to a plant-based diet, my arthritis went away. My hands needed rehabilitation so I learned different knitting styles and during the rehabilitation period, I just knit in different styles and even learned to knit backwards
My doctor asked to see my hands as he knew I had trouble with arthritis pain. I no longer had swollen joints. He was amazed. We assume that we eat a healthy diet, however I know loads of people with diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, headaches, constipation… all of these are caused by the diet. The Whole Food Plant-Based diet is what I follow and it got me out of a wheelchair and I lost 60 lbs.
It is better than drugs. I don’’t take any drugs, but do take vitamins. I’ve done this for 10 years, I will be 70 years old next month.
If I do get some soreness, I have a gel in a tube called “Arnicare”and it works on any joints from fingers or knees, back, shoulders. It is worth having on hand. I keep a tube in my purse even.
One reason I don't crochet much. They hurt worse when I do. Ugh. Don't like it. I have learned to take breaks in between crocheting. Don't want to stop crocheting. I just learned like 9 years ago.
Great video. Yes, it is what I don’t want to hear but I needed to hear it. And your example of an athlete readying the muscles, is a great example. I don’t know if it’s too late for me but my hands have thickening of the skin, and my thumb knuckle swells badly and looks like there’s a marble on it, and my thumb is too taut inward so that I can’t lay my hand flat on a table. And pain!! Oh my goodness!! Just like you said. Right up the forearm too. Pretty bad. I researched the problem of not being able to lay the hand flat on the table because I started to see ads on TV. But in my opinion, the medical ads that say it’s not from what we were doing but is an autoimmune issue. But… I KNOW that I knit like crazy last year and made about 15 pairs of socks, plus Re knitting them many times while I was learning! I have had some pretty bad tragedies, so I was using the knitting to get thru. But I think, what the medical field is trying to is invent more “diseases” because they can’t cure any of them. So they advertise so ppl will spend money on RX and surgeries. Not me!! I’m going to keep on praying for healing and stretching etc. Although I did stop knitting and crocheting 6 months ago 😭 because the pain and distortion of my hands is so bad. But I have not seen any difference. In 6 months! Stretching all through out the day, etc., and NO CHANGE. 😢 KnitFreedom.com has some forearm fascia stretches that feel excellent and I feel that the same stretching can be done do the hands if you understand what you are stretching. She explains how the skin is attached to the muscles, and that seems to be what the real injury is done to. So, that made a lot of sense to me and I’m working on stretching the places between the thickening skin, and really taut areas in my hands in the way she teaches because normal stretches aren’t fixing this. I hope that helps others who are in pain too and can’t do our beloved crafts! 🙏🏼 Thank you! And I pray you feel better too. I’m glad you did not get as far injury as I have. I hope others don’t either.
Some of my favorite stretches are pulling my fingers down and lean forward and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and I love your channel and your videos and if you keep making videos I will keep watching them and what is your favorite crochet project to work on right now and favorite types of yarn to used when crocheting and I am new to your channel
Thank you for your advice!😁 I'll try the massaging stress thingies. I'd also recommend drinking LOTS of water during your activities, it really made a huuuge difference for me (along with the stretches before and after, just like sports actually) because it kind of forces you to stop for a second, drink, make a sjort pause before getting back at it.
Dear Knityorker, great video. Thank you for these helpful tips. I recently saw my dr for pain and weakness in my hands. I didn’t realize it was from crocheting because the pain did not happen during crocheting but rather whenever I had to grasp and lift or pull anything such as a milk carton, or wet clothes out of the washer, or putting on my seatbelt. But soon as I told him that I crochet he said it was an overuse injury. I’ve been making blanket after blanket since the pandemic so I guess it finally caught up with me. He gave me Naproxen twice a day for 5 days and ordered no crocheting for 1 month! 😩 The anti inflammatory helped. I am just about pain free. When I return to crochet I will employ the methods you suggested to prevent the pain from returning. Greetings from the Jersey shore and God bless you.
Im constantly using my hands because I'm a really busy highschooler who also animates, draws, crochets etc and like it's just kind of caught up to me 😭 maybe I should take the first step as good advice lmao
Thanks so much for this informative Video. I use my hands a lot. Computer , mobile phone and Yesss I'm addicted to knitting. I have just had a week or so off from knitting and I really am starting to miss doing it. Thats why I came accross you for some advice which does help. Do you have any warm up for knitting and shoulder and neck pain , as you would know knitting effects the whole body. I am subscribing to you and yes I'm on the side of I don't want to hear it LOL
Thank you for your ideas. Sorry you have the pain too. I have been knitting and crocheting for hours at a time, and it’s finally caught up with me. My pain is in all fingers especially in the base of my thumb.
4:25 this feels great! also, check this out: https://youtu.be/E7vibxI3yZY some of their suggestions are awesome but not for finger pain. if your fingers hurt, it's time to stop knitting otherwise there's a good chance it'll turn into arthritis. also also, 5:39 you're not a good liar, heh also also also, i love the music in your vid!
I am a little mad at myself because I am looking forward to finishing my granny square blanket. But I need to stop for a little because I am feeling it in my head. 😢
Wow it definitely doesn’t take me 6 hours to get numbness or pain lol more like an hour or even less if it’s a certain knitting or crochet with smaller sized needles/hooks
Thank you for making this video.👏🏼I’m trying these exercises. Forearms very sore. Need relief.
Thank you for the stretching exercises it helps
:3 tysm
oh god that pulling stretch hurt my left hands little finger but it felt good. i crochet for like 6 hours a day lol
Ice packs were the best remedy for me! Took <10 days for 90% recovery
Ah thank you. I have had to stop knitting due to arthritis and I can no longer make a fist as some of my fingers will not bend. Anyway I changed to weaving and now I have repetitive strain in my shoulders and neck aaaahhhhh
🙀😿😿
Heat, ice and ibuprofen. Excellent tips, thank you.
It is really strange how people are different. I feel a lot of pain crocheting, but I can knit for hours and nothing hurts.
Great info. Thanks for sharing.
Your voice and demeanor is pleasant. Just wish the video was closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
I put my hands in the freezer
This is the best advice I've come across. Thank you. ❤
I can relate. I wanted to gift a few hats knitted in smaller yarns and I knitted everyday and it did hurt. Best thing is take many breaks. Set a timer for 30 min and take a break for 20 min or more. Then knit again. And no more than a few hours a day. I also found it would be helpful to have a few different projects of different needles and structures (round and flat with different needle sizes). And alternatively knit every other day. Stretching helps but by the time you feel discomfort your hands are already fatigued. I also found it helpful to knit not every day. This was hard as I wanted to knit hours everyday. But when I was starting out, I knitted like 6-8 hours without many breaks and there came to a point I couldn’t grasp anything and I couldn’t wring any towels, or grab or hold a knife even. Yeah it was so bad I had to take a month break. But eventually healed. Some people won’t heal and you would have to go to a doctor and get cortisone shots so you can function normally. Since then I decided to be kind to my hands. Then it’s much better. My project comes out nicer too at the end.
If arthritis runs in your family, as in mine, learning about what kind of arthritis that is, can help solve the problem. My mother had gauty arthritis which means she was having way too much animal protein and dairy protein. These produce purines and more uric acid. My pain was so bad I could hardly type or sign my paychecks. My signature did not look right anymore.
I switched to a plant-based diet, my arthritis went away. My hands needed rehabilitation so I learned different knitting styles and during the rehabilitation period, I just knit in different styles and even learned to knit backwards
My doctor asked to see my hands as he knew I had trouble with arthritis pain. I no longer had swollen joints. He was amazed. We assume that we eat a healthy diet, however I know loads of people with diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, headaches, constipation… all of these are caused by the diet. The Whole Food Plant-Based diet is what I follow and it got me out of a wheelchair and I lost 60 lbs.
It is better than drugs. I don’’t take any drugs, but do take vitamins. I’ve done this for 10 years, I will be 70 years old next month.
If I do get some soreness, I have a gel in a tube called “Arnicare”and it works on any joints from fingers or knees, back, shoulders. It is worth having on hand. I keep a tube in my purse even.
One reason I don't crochet much. They hurt worse when I do. Ugh. Don't like it. I have learned to take breaks in between crocheting. Don't want to stop crocheting. I just learned like 9 years ago.
I've been crocheting a lot lately and my hands have gotten quite tired. This helped relieve that a lot, thanks!
Great video. Yes, it is what I don’t want to hear but I needed to hear it. And your example of an athlete readying the muscles, is a great example.
I don’t know if it’s too late for me but my hands have thickening of the skin, and my thumb knuckle swells badly and looks like there’s a marble on it, and my thumb is too taut inward so that I can’t lay my hand flat on a table.
And pain!! Oh my goodness!! Just like you said. Right up the forearm too. Pretty bad.
I researched the problem of not being able to lay the hand flat on the table because I started to see ads on TV. But in my opinion, the medical ads that say it’s not from what we were doing but is an autoimmune issue. But… I KNOW that I knit like crazy last year and made about 15 pairs of socks, plus Re knitting them many times while I was learning! I have had some pretty bad tragedies, so I was using the knitting to get thru.
But I think, what the medical field is trying to is invent more “diseases” because they can’t cure any of them. So they advertise so ppl will spend money on RX and surgeries. Not me!! I’m going to keep on praying for healing and stretching etc.
Although I did stop knitting and crocheting 6 months ago 😭 because the pain and distortion of my hands is so bad. But I have not seen any difference. In 6 months! Stretching all through out the day, etc., and NO CHANGE. 😢
KnitFreedom.com has some forearm fascia stretches that feel excellent and I feel that the same stretching can be done do the hands if you understand what you are stretching. She explains how the skin is attached to the muscles, and that seems to be what the real injury is done to. So, that made a lot of sense to me and I’m working on stretching the places between the thickening skin, and really taut areas in my hands in the way she teaches because normal stretches aren’t fixing this.
I hope that helps others who are in pain too and can’t do our beloved crafts! 🙏🏼
Thank you! And I pray you feel better too. I’m glad you did not get as far injury as I have. I hope others don’t either.
Well I found i can switch between knotting with my left hand or knitting with my right hand
I cant explain, but just find new ways of knitting
Of doing the thing but in a different motion
Which is easier on your hands
Some of my favorite stretches are pulling my fingers down and lean forward and right now I am working on my cottage core mosaic blanket and I love your channel and your videos and if you keep making videos I will keep watching them and what is your favorite crochet project to work on right now and favorite types of yarn to used when crocheting and I am new to your channel
My hands start hurting when they get cold. This helped a lot thank you so so much.
This video helped a lot!
Thanks for posting ! Keep doing what you love, that's what its all about 😻
Thank you for your advice!😁 I'll try the massaging stress thingies. I'd also recommend drinking LOTS of water during your activities, it really made a huuuge difference for me (along with the stretches before and after, just like sports actually) because it kind of forces you to stop for a second, drink, make a sjort pause before getting back at it.
Dear Knityorker, great video. Thank you for these helpful tips. I recently saw my dr for pain and weakness in my hands. I didn’t realize it was from crocheting because the pain did not happen during crocheting but rather whenever I had to grasp and lift or pull anything such as a milk carton, or wet clothes out of the washer, or putting on my seatbelt. But soon as I told him that I crochet he said it was an overuse injury. I’ve been making blanket after blanket since the pandemic so I guess it finally caught up with me. He gave me Naproxen twice a day for 5 days and ordered no crocheting for 1 month! 😩 The anti inflammatory helped. I am just about pain free. When I return to crochet I will employ the methods you suggested to prevent the pain from returning. Greetings from the Jersey shore and God bless you.
Im constantly using my hands because I'm a really busy highschooler who also animates, draws, crochets etc and like it's just kind of caught up to me 😭 maybe I should take the first step as good advice lmao
Thanks so much for this informative Video. I use my hands a lot. Computer , mobile phone and Yesss I'm addicted to knitting. I have just had a week or so off from knitting and I really am starting to miss doing it. Thats why I came accross you for some advice which does help. Do you have any warm up for knitting and shoulder and neck pain , as you would know knitting effects the whole body. I am subscribing to you and yes I'm on the side of I don't want to hear it LOL
Thank you for your ideas. Sorry you have the pain too. I have been knitting and crocheting for hours at a time, and it’s finally caught up with me. My pain is in all fingers especially in the base of my thumb.
I' ve had to limit my knitting and crochet. Boo Hoo! But you had some nice tips. Thanks.
thank you!
No joke, Icon, I was HOLDING a STRESS ball WHILE I was watching this. I keep them all over the place. And I made a cameo! I’m so lucky!! Week made.
4:25 this feels great!
also, check this out: https://youtu.be/E7vibxI3yZY some of their suggestions are awesome but not for finger pain. if your fingers hurt, it's time to stop knitting otherwise there's a good chance it'll turn into arthritis.
also also, 5:39 you're not a good liar, heh
also also also, i love the music in your vid!