Due to repetitive knitting, knitters are vulnerable to injuries that can be devastating to productivity and sanity in the short run and debilitating in the long run. But most of these injuries are completely preventable with a few minutes of care every time you knit.
A lot of the pain I have is because I’m so excited about my project that I canโt put it down.
Or because I have a deadline and feel I canโt take a break. And, because I can’t have my knitting interrupted, I went searching for some relief due to repetitive knitting.
Here are a few of the ways you can prevent or soothe injuries, try these simple exercises before and after you knit.
Why do that? Because a repetitive injury can take days or weeks away from your knitting time, so think of the time spent on the following exercises as an investment in your crafting retirement account.
Exercises
- Move your wrists in a circular motion as soon as you put your work down to stretch instantly. Repeat 10 times.
- Open and stretch out all your fingers as strongly as you can, for about 10 seconds, then close them tighter for another 10 seconds.
- Pull each finger gently and repeat 2 times.
- Stretch your hands moving up and down your wrist for 5 seconds. Repeat 2 times.
- Let your arms hang loose at your side, relax your shoulder and shake your hands for 10 seconds. Repeat 2 times.
- Put your hands together and push with a bit of pressure for 10 seconds. Repeat 2 times.
Please note: if you have extreme pain, please see your doctor! These stretches are for continuing hand health and aren’t a cure-all for chronic pain.
Tension ball
Those squeezes are just what it sounds like. Get yourself a small tension ball, place it in the palm of your hand and squeeze it tightly for 3 seconds, then release, do it that 10 to 15 times to help strengthen your wrists
Keep moisturized
Any good hand cream will do โ keep your hands soft to keep yarn from snagging on dry skin. Keeping moisturized will help the yarn to move easily through your hands, and contribute to keeping your tension even.
Look at your needle options
Use circular needles for knitting flat: the weight of the knitting is balanced along the cable rather than on one heavy needle.
Try wood or bamboo needles: a wooden or bamboo needle in your hand is warmer than metal and will imperceptibly mold to your finger shapes.
Take a break!
Tea and coffee were made for knitters! Remember to take regular breaks, weโve all caught ourselves saying โjust one more row!โ too many times.
Have you had a painful experience due to repetitive knitting?