anyone a long time crocheter? [hand pain?]

[lovingmommy]

anyone a longtime crocheter here? i was telling my mom that once my kids get older ( 5, 3, and an 18 month old + a baby on the way ) that i would spend alot more time crocheting and knitting. i love to crochet and knit but sometime i only get in a couple of minutes here and there, lol.

 

well the point is that my mom said that if i keep crocheting everyday that my hands will probably hurt later on as i get older. ( my dream was to just sit on a rocking chair and crochet all day long, lolol).

 

i guess that scared me because i'm 27 years old and have been crocheting for a few years now. have i ruined my hands for the future? anyone here have pain in their hands from crocheting?

[klouised]

Priscilla, I have to say that you do beautiful work. I just saw your slideshow. Wow. I love all of your doilies. They are great.

[lovingmommy]

wow, thanks so much!!! i really apreciate all the comments and hints for pain. it does make me feel secure knowing that pain is not necesserily the outcome of crocheting madness, lolol.

[mudpie]

I celebrated my 50th birthday this year. I have been crocheting for 44 of those years. I have not experienced any pain. My only problem is that my hands get very dry and the yarn/thread sometimes catches on my skin. I cannot stand to have lotion on my hands when I do needlework of any kind. It just makes me feel dirty and I'm afraid it will stain my threads. In fact, I stop every once in a while just to wash my hands again, because I feel that I crochet/knit better and faster when my hands are very dry. Especially in the summertime, perspiration slows me down.

[Katchkan]

I 've been crocheting for 40 years or more. I have some pain in my hands but not crochet related. I've been a hard worker all my life and never shirked from a hard job. Paying for it now, but such is life. I wear a brace on my wrist at night to give it heal time and wear the brace anytime during the day that I have to do something that might be strenuous to me. Pulling weeds, Lots of time at the keyboard, mucking stalls. and anything else that might put a strain on me.

I rarely wear a brace when I crochet and only experience discomfort crocheting when I have pushed to hard someplace else in my life. I have worked with all sizes of thread and hooks down to size 150 and a size 16 hook, Right now I am working with size 80 thread and a 13 hook and I am not having any discomfort.

I have always believed you need to live life to the fullest and if it involves a few risks so be it. I do not want to come to the time in my life when I can't do things any more and Regret not having done the things I Love.

[Carol]

I have always believed you need to live life to the fullest and if it involves a few risks so be it. I do not want to come to the time in my life when I can't do things any more and Regret not having done the things I Love.

 

Oh, so true, Kathy.

 

I am 54 and have been crocheting since I was 7; no problems.

 

My mother is 78 and has been crocheting since she was about 12. She's had arthritis in her hands for 20-some years. Crocheting has helped keep her hands limber until just this year: She's currently making my daughter a tablecloth as a wedding gift, and she's been working on it nonstop. (Wedding's in October.) As a result, her hands are hurting, but I think anyone's hands would hurt if they were crocheting day-in and day-out for a couple of months!

 

You're only 27? Don't worry about it. Kathy is right: Do what you love as long as you can do it. There may come a time when you physically can't. May that be a long way off for all of us...

[Elvee]

I have not only crocheted for more years than i care to count, I was also a weaver At longaberger. i think if you are predisposed to problems in this area you'll get them, if not, you won't.

[jakesmom31]

I'm almost thirty, and I've been crocheting since I was around 10 or so. 20 years! The only times I've had trouble have been when I was pregnant with my two boys. Had carpal tunnel and severe numbness and couldn't crochet a bit

[NexStitch]

20 years, and 29 years old (almost 30...errr...)

[Guest Crafterlady46]

I have been crocheting for 30+ years and my hands dont bother me a bit, except where the hook rips the skin. If I crochet too much (16 hours) they tend to get tired and sore not really painful. The next day they are back to normal again.

[Linda]

I've been crocheting for 40 years and haven't experienced any problems. Up until about 6 months ago my mother-in-law was continuing to crochet with #10 thread on a daily basis. (she could no longer see smaller thread) She turned 93 on August 1st. She had to quit crocheting about 6 mos ago after having a couple of "mini strokes" that affected her eyes. She did beautiful large doily centerpieces and continued to sell them by "word of mouth" up until she could no longer see well enough with the #10 thread.

[runt315]

I have been crocheting for 33 years and no pain as of yet. Ronni in NY

[crochetlady100]

I am 45 and have been crocheting for over 30 years, I do find at times I have stiffness and pain, I have to wear a wrist brace, but hey that doesnt stop me from crocheting. I believe that if you do it everyday even for a little it is excerise for your wrist and hands. I do it every day somedays longer than others.

Trish

[mamaoso]

I have been been knitting and crocheting for the past 45 years. Damn that's a long time...... I've worked as a Cosmetologist most my life. I have some pain in my hands in the mornings, but once I start to crochet it's gone....I do notice it more when I have been Knitting or working with wire for a long time... so It's kinda like exercise..

[Tara]

Like a few others, I have damaged hands from other life experiences. I also wear a wrist brace a lot of the time. I usually take it off to crochet, though. My hands do get stiff and sore sometimes, and occasionally I get a throbbing pain, but that's so normal now, I barely notice it. I can't hold pens and pencils very well, but I can crochet till the cows come home. I'm not sure why, since crocheting is a repetitive thing, but it really doesn't hurt me. As a few others mentioned, the left hand will stiffen up where I hold the yarn. That's it, though.

I will be 30 this year, and look forward to spending the next 50 years at least crocheting in my rocking chair or porch swing, lol.

[crochet smartcat]

I have recurring tendonitis in my hands and since I have started crocheting have had alot less problems and issues than when I didn't. The exercise has been wonderful for my hands. The only time I had a problem with my hands since starting was just recently. My husband made the oversized hook and I crocheted with it. I believe that the odd angle holding the hook and extreme hand movement are what did it. Since then (has been 3-4 weeks now) I find that the smaller the hook the less problems I have. I still have some residual pain from it, cause I haven't given it complete rest, but the pain is much worse with hooks larger than I, so I have been doing alot of smaller hook projects lately.

 

 

My take on this is that, like others on the site have said, if you exercise the joints and muscles they have less of a tendency to tighten and stiffen and give you problems. However perhaps if arthritis runs in your family, you may have problems, I am not a doctor and do not know if exercising hand joints makes them more prone to arthritis or not.

 

I would say if you are at all concerned ask your doctor or a physical therapist, but overall, I would agree with everyone that exercise in any form is good, even if it is sitting on your duff and using your hands for knitting or crochet.

[ahiscox]

I have occasional tendonitis in my wrists, but a few days rest and I'm fine. I also find that if my wrists start bothering me from crocheting I switch to knitting for a week or so and I'm fine again, it's a different motion I guess. My sister is also an active crafter and she swears that wood or bamboo hooks/needles are easier on your wrists than plastic or metal, it's probably just an old wives tale, but I do try to use them when I have them.

 

I spoke to the Dr. about it and she said tendonitis is just a temporary problem, rest, ice, and sleeping with it elevated will fix it. Carpal tunnel (sp?) is much more serious, and some people will get it and some people won't even with the same activity level. I would think best bet is to see a dr to determine which you have if you experience any pain...

[Aggie May]

:2cI am 63 years old and have been knitting and crocheting since I was about 7 years old.

Now, I do have sore hands and arms, but that will never stop me from crocheting.

About 30 something years ago, I was crocheting shawl-collared, long cardigans, with pockets and a belt. I used to make one every two days so you can imagine I was fairly fast at crocheting back then. My mum and I used to go to craft shows and sell hats, scarves, ponchos, vests, shawl and of course the cardigans.

Sometimes I would end up with a very itchy rash on my wrists but it did not stay for long.

Eventually, I purchased the local wool shop where I had been buying my yarns so I ended up knitting even more, for customers and finally, in 1994, after mum had a stroke and could no longer help me in the shop, I sold it and did no knitting or crochet at all until 1996 when my first grandchild arrived. I still did not do a lot of stuff for the children but I think each one got something that Grandma made. :grandma

It is only since finding this message board and DIY just over a year ago, that I have started doing a bit more and my hands and arms are very sore but I dont see that as a good reason to stop. The funny thing is, it does not hurt while I am knitting or crocheting, only when I stop. Part of the problem is picking up small grandchildren.

My mum is 89 and only just stopped crocheting last year when she had another small stroke which finally made it impossible to hold the hook in her right hand. Because she needs both hands to crochet, she had to stop. She did not give up without a fight though.

One thing I would say though is, I do not use very thick yarns now, nothing more than 8ply (DK) Probably your Sports weight, using 4mm hook. Or if I am knitting, I use mostly Eyelash type yarn and 7.5mm circular needles for my scarves.

Very thick, bulky yarn and big heavy needles or hooks are just too heavy to handle, and the weight of the work on your fingers is just not worth the trouble.

I would say that your mum has your best interest at heart but you could have a long, painfree but boring life sitting in your chair, protecting your hands, for what? For sitting in your chair doing nothing.

Or you could be sensible and learn to pace yourself so you can sit in your chair, in your old age, creating beautiful things.

I dont think I will be still crocheting at 89 but who knows.

At least I dont have so far to go to find out.

Have fun.

Colleen.

[Suebee42]

I have been crocheting for about five years now, and I do get pain sometimes, but I had it already before I ever started crocheting -- I attribute it to computer mouse use more than crochet -- I use a mouse a lot as a graphic designer. But if I crochet for too long in a stint, I do start to get pain from that.

 

I had to go to a neurologist the other day for other reasons (pinched nerve in my neck), and we did talk about carpal tunnel a little bit as he was poking and prodding me with what can only be described as a Taser ( *zort* ). LOL! He told me something I never knew -- people who end up with Carpal Tunnel issues usually have it running in their family already! I never knew that. I guess it has to do with the size of the tunnel where your nerves go through your wrist -- if it's small, you're more prone to carpal tunnel. And what dictates the size of that hole? Genetics.

 

I do have mild repetetive stress pain in my right wrist, but nothing showed up on the tests he did to me that indicated damage -- everything was normal.

 

I do have a Hand-Eze glove in my crochet toolbox, and I try to remember to wear it when I crochet for extra support on my right wrist. I also have a full wrist brace, complete with a metal bar in it, for when it really bugs me. I usually only wear it when I am sleeping.

[bjz]

I have been crocheting, knitting, quilting, painting, etc since I was 14 and I am 55 now.

I have fibromyaliga and it's very good therapy for me to keep me from stiffening up and having pain. I vote for keeping those needles in your hands for as many years as you like. It will keep you young.

 

They always say that when you get old you will sit in your rocking chair and knit all day and that will make you older faster.

 

I always say that people who have the talent to create will only sit long enough to make what they create. After all we have to get out and look for yarn, sewing supplies, paint, brushes, needles, sissors, thread, more yarn, etc,. That will get us out of our chairs and keep us young. So, I never listen to what they say, I live for myself. ~ Brenda

[threeolivemartini]

i have been crocheting since i was 7 ..

 

and lately its what i do every day all day ..

 

i have not had any problems . i knit as well..

[falfal115]

im new at crocheting but i would think that if u do a lot of things with ur hands it keeps the blood flowing and would be sort of an "exercise" for ur hands to prevent things like that..

[mseavey2]

I have been crocheting for the past 25 years. I haven't had any problems as of yet. I do crochet on a daily basis. Some days I only am able to crochet for a 1/2 hr tops. That's due to my 2 children and 1 dog.

[rhondam]

I'm 45 and I've crocheted for 39+ years. I started crocheting before I could even read the instructions.

 

I've had trouble with my hands, but it wasn't due to the crocheting. I've had times, during my life that I'd put the hook and yarn down, due to working or other projects in my life.

 

I've found that when my hands hurt, I go back to crocheting to help them to stop hurting. I've even had braces on my hands and I've had to take meds to help with the pain, but nothing helped like the crocheting did.

 

When I'm crocheting, it helps my arms and hands. I even find that I'm not pulling my hands under me, when I sleep, which keeps them from hurting, too.

 

Each person may be different, but I find that crocheting helps me.

[yarncat]

I'm 36 and have been crocheting for over 13 years,mostly every day.The last 3 years,I've crocheted all day,most every day.I use Theragesic cream on my wrist 1-2 times a day for stiffness,not pain.I findthat if I go more than 2 days without crocheting,my wrist gets really stiff to the point of pain.

[settler]

if you dont use it you lose it

 

my husband and i try to keep healthy by exercising and i would reckon that crochet is exercising your hands i think that it would stop joints stiffening up