Pain in the neck (literally!)

[Snowbaby]

Do any of you suffer with neck pain due to or aggravated by crocheting? If so, how do you combat this? I'm really struggling to crochet due to neck pain just now (old whiplash injury which is aggravated by head position when crocheting).

 

I miss crocheting!!

[shedotcom]

Yes, at times I have to change my arm height, or recline the chair. Sometimes I put small pillows under my elbows, just depends on what I'm crocheting.

 

Have you tried a foot stool, and possibly better lighting?

 

Just experiment and see what feels comfortable and doesn't strain your neck. I have a herniated disc in my neck, so I feel your pain.

[Real Deal]

You have to take more breaks. You can't crochet as long at one sitting. Get up and move around so your posture changes. A lot of times I alternate my crochet with some chores, like crochet a bit, do some dishes, crochet a bit, finish the dishes, crochet a bit, sweep the kitchen floor. It also makes the chores not so bad because I'm wanting to get back to my crochet.

[rired41]

I found out I needed stronger bi-focals, I was bending my neck and looking over my glasses to see better. I had to break the habit and make sure i use my bi-focals.

[KeepsakeKrochet]

Poor thing, I don't have neck pain, but my mother does. She has to take frequent brakes and give her neck some rest for a while, then she's okay.

[shedotcom]

I found out I needed stronger bi-focals, I was bending my neck and looking over my glasses to see better. I had to break the habit and make sure i use my bi-focals.

 

I catch myself doing this as well. I've got the progressives, which are supposed to give you all three levels, close, mid range, and distance, but sometimes I wind up looking under the lenses. For me lighting is a real issue. And if I light better then I quite doing that. LOL

 

My mom looked over the top of hers. She'd slide them down her nose. I used to giggle under my breath about that, until I hit that point.

 

Getting older really isn't fun. LOL

[Feederofthepack]

Try sitting at a table with your elbows resting on the table for a while-a knitting teacher told me this .

[k311y]

I get this. I was in a bad car accident in October and I'm still getting pain in my neck and shoulder which is made worse when I crochet. I've found resting my elbow on a cushion while I'm crocheting helps though.

[Monique39]

I take lots of breaks!

[spiritwalker]

I purchased a set of heating/cooling pads. They are in various shapes.

One wraps around the neck and over the shoulders. You can microwave

for heat or freeze for cold. I find these helpful from time to time.

[Snowbaby]

I never came back to this.... naughty me! Thanks for all the input & suggestions. I'll def be trying a cushion under my elbow. I sit on a 2 seater sofa, so my right elbow is supported by the arm of the sofa, my left is not supported. And it's my left side of my neck that is aggrivated just now!

[Lealonna]

I have neck pain {and I'm young} because of a dislocated collar bone awhile back. I rest my elbows on something, and use some lavender/peppermint oil when it gets to bad. That really seems to help me.

[RoseRed]

You can also put a pillow on your lap and work off of that to change the angle that you're holding your head at.

[Shell Lee]

I was hurt at work just over 9 years ago and ended up with herniated and bulging discs in my neck. They consider it to be a permanent temporary disability. It's permanent because it'll affect me the rest of my life, but temporary because it only flares up occasionally.

 

When it flares up, I make sure to do some of the neck stretches that they taught me in physical therapy. stretch my arms out and around. look up for a bit. Maybe even get up and walk around a little. Then it calms down enough to get back to whatever I was doing.

[crochetlady2012]

I suffer from both neck/back pain (I have scoliois of the spin). When I start hurting I stop for a few minutes, take a pain killer and go & walk & do different things around the house & then I come back to project that I am working on.

[purples]

Changing my body position tends to help, such as sitting up a little more straight or having my feet flat on the floor.

 

Sometimes putting my arms/ hands on a pillow to crochet, helping my arms reach a 90 degree angle helps too.

 

If you are reading a pattern while crocheting, I would recommend putting the book up at a level where you won't have to look down or away from your hands or even OVER at something. Try putting it on a book stand directly in front of where you are working, as if you are a musician reading music. Let you hands do their job and let your eyes read - you can glance up and down, but your neck won't be cranning around.