Pain when crochetting

[Munuse13]

Dear fellow crocheters,

I am 26 years old and would class myself as an intermediate crocheter and love everything about the craft. 

I have been crochetting for many years in my spare time as I study however for the recently I have been getting a strong pain in my left hand (yarn holding hand). The pain occurs in my palm just below my fingers (the underside of my knuckle, particularly the middle). As I tend to wrap the yarn around my index finger and hold my work with my thumb and middle finger.

At first I knew I was over doing it by crochetting hours at a time, to the point were I had to take a break for 2 months and I have a tight tension which doesn't help.

However today I decided to do a small piece, a curly cue made with 50 stitches which only took me a few minutes but my hand is aching quite badly.

Can anyone offer some advice with how to solve this issue and minimise pain. I am hoping to start a business in the art of crochet and not sure how I will be able to if I get pain in my hand only after a few minutes crochetting. 

 

Thank you.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Munuse13
Adding

[Granny Square]

As someone over twice your age, and with past and present hand and arm issues - stop.  Now.  For at least a month.  Seriously. That's only if you want to keep crocheting until you are my age (I just recently hit 'social security' age a couple of years ago).  After that pause, don't crochet more than 1 hour or 2 a day for a while, if it still hurts stop for another period twice as long, and try crocheting again.

I had a cascade of events 20+ years ago that ended up rendering both hands pretty much a mess for a long while(not due to crochet) I was afraid to crochet for over a year after the problem abated.   My job at the time involved mostly computer mousing and typing, I soon 'lost' the use of my dominant hand/wrist to de Quervain's tendonitis and it ended up in a day-cast for a couple of months, so I awkwardly learned to mouse with my left, and then that hand got messed up.   Even after all this time the tendonitis in both hands flares momentarily (opening jars mostly, even with a helper thingy, still hurts like heck).  I only crochet a couple of hours a day max, I don't want the tendonitis to come back and stay back again.  (de Quervain's happens in the wrist, just under the thumb, so different spot from yours but I've no doubt there's a name for your pain area... 

So put down the hook.  Maybe not for a year, but maybe try a month.  Re-think your crochet business - seriously.  Your hands and shoulders aren't made of steel, you don't have cogs for tendons that can be replaced, and I imagine you want them to last a few more decades.  When I crochet, there are long spans between projects, and I don't crochet more than a couple of hours a day. 

I have slightly tight-ish tension too, in that I usually come up short on height gauge for patterns, but I usually hit or come pretty close to width gauge.  What kind of hook do you use?  When I was a new crocheter, before the internet, I used tapered hooks (and still do), and I REALLY made tight stitches.  I realized I was forming the stitch at the very throat of the hook, not back further beyond the taper to the stitch-sizing shaft.  Once I re-trained myself to shove the stitches back to the shaft, it made a big difference.  If you use an in-line hook style, this won't apply, since there is no taper.

Back to your left hand pain.  Do you hold your index finger high in the air?  After the pain episode I described above, every time I see that tensioning style in a video it literally (and I mean literally) makes me wince, as I know that would kill my hands--but I also know it's a common tensioning method.  Not saying it's wrong but with my history I can't imagine it not hurting.

Just in case this helps, I will share how I tension with the left hand.  I'd guess that trying to re-teach yourself tensioning is probably a lot harder than concentrating on shoving stitches further up the hook shaft but it couldn't 'hurt' to try   .  I don't wrap the yarn around any fingers; the yarn passes over my first finger, under my second, and back up and just lays over the last 2 fingers.  Tensioning happens by gently holding my fingers together.  This video shows knitting not crochet, but it does show the element of keeping your fingers and tool and existing fabric and new stitch pretty much all together, no gaps.  The difference between the way she is holding the left hand yarn, and the way I was taught, is she is only putting the yarn between the first and second fingers, not back up and over the last 2 fingers.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpzxk5jIng&t=76s

 

[debscodas]

I know how you feel! I have been crocheting over 60 years and crocheting daily for over four years. Pain happens especially if you are a tight crocheter.

I usually rest my hands (no crocheting) and apply analgesic creme (Bio-freeze) and see what happens. If pain persists I use a left or right hand splint like this made for women Amazon.com: FUTURO -95346EN For Her Wrist Brace, Helps Support Sprains, Strains, and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, One Size: Industrial & Scientific

If the brace's velcro straps tangle with your thread or yarn, use a disposable glove over it (cut the fingers off, just want the palm smooth)

I have used the brace when I am crocheting but it is akward.

I also sleep with the brace for as long as it takes to get better. 

I hope tis helps but If this does not perhaps you should consult a physician.

[Munuse13]

11 hours ago, Granny Square said:

As someone over twice your age, and with past and present hand and arm issues - stop.  Now.  For at least a month.  Seriously. That's only if you want to keep crocheting until you are my age (I just recently hit 'social security' age a couple of years ago).  After that pause, don't crochet more than 1 hour or 2 a day for a while, if it still hurts stop for another period twice as long, and try crocheting again.

I had a cascade of events 20+ years ago that ended up rendering both hands pretty much a mess for a long while(not due to crochet) I was afraid to crochet for over a year after the problem abated.   My job at the time involved mostly computer mousing and typing, I soon 'lost' the use of my dominant hand/wrist to de Quervain's tendonitis and it ended up in a day-cast for a couple of months, so I awkwardly learned to mouse with my left, and then that hand got messed up.   Even after all this time the tendonitis in both hands flares momentarily (opening jars mostly, even with a helper thingy, still hurts like heck).  I only crochet a couple of hours a day max, I don't want the tendonitis to come back and stay back again.  (de Quervain's happens in the wrist, just under the thumb, so different spot from yours but I've no doubt there's a name for your pain area... 

So put down the hook.  Maybe not for a year, but maybe try a month.  Re-think your crochet business - seriously.  Your hands and shoulders aren't made of steel, you don't have cogs for tendons that can be replaced, and I imagine you want them to last a few more decades.  When I crochet, there are long spans between projects, and I don't crochet more than a couple of hours a day. 

I have slightly tight-ish tension too, in that I usually come up short on height gauge for patterns, but I usually hit or come pretty close to width gauge.  What kind of hook do you use?  When I was a new crocheter, before the internet, I used tapered hooks (and still do), and I REALLY made tight stitches.  I realized I was forming the stitch at the very throat of the hook, not back further beyond the taper to the stitch-sizing shaft.  Once I re-trained myself to shove the stitches back to the shaft, it made a big difference.  If you use an in-line hook style, this won't apply, since there is no taper.

Back to your left hand pain.  Do you hold your index finger high in the air?  After the pain episode I described above, every time I see that tensioning style in a video it literally (and I mean literally) makes me wince, as I know that would kill my hands--but I also know it's a common tensioning method.  Not saying it's wrong but with my history I can't imagine it not hurting.

Just in case this helps, I will share how I tension with the left hand.  I'd guess that trying to re-teach yourself tensioning is probably a lot harder than concentrating on shoving stitches further up the hook shaft but it couldn't 'hurt' to try   .  I don't wrap the yarn around any fingers; the yarn passes over my first finger, under my second, and back up and just lays over the last 2 fingers.  Tensioning happens by gently holding my fingers together.  This video shows knitting not crochet, but it does show the element of keeping your fingers and tool and existing fabric and new stitch pretty much all together, no gaps.  The difference between the way she is holding the left hand yarn, and the way I was taught, is she is only putting the yarn between the first and second fingers, not back up and over the last 2 fingers.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpzxk5jIng&t=76s

 

Thank you so much for the reply, I really appreciate it. It was definitely something really upsetting thinking that i might not be able to venture into the business I was hoping to develop. Even started looking at alternative types of craft that I could use. 

But I will definitely stop for now and only work for shorter periods of time and have longer breaks in between until the muscles in my hand re-strengthen.

Regarding my index finger on the yarn holding hand, sometimes it is up in the air however i try to adjust it everytime I notice. However funnily enough even though I have been crocheting like that the entire time I never experienced any pain. It is solely under my middle finger of my palm when I hold what I am crocheting. I have also tried to use my ring finger as well as the middle and thumb to hold the work but that was very uncomfortable.

I also use a tapered hook and also only use those with a plastic coating on the handle to make it more comfortable. I also tend to use a larger hook size when following a pattern due to my tight tension.  

But i will definitely take on board everything you have said as I definitely want to continue crocheting. I am also a scientist so working with my hands is crucial. Which is why I took such a long break as I was extremely worried about damaging my hands to the extent that I may not be able to perform experiments in the laboratory.

[Munuse13]

11 hours ago, debscodas said:

I know how you feel! I have been crocheting over 60 years and crocheting daily for over four years. Pain happens especially if you are a tight crocheter.

I usually rest my hands (no crocheting) and apply analgesic creme (Bio-freeze) and see what happens. If pain persists I use a left or right hand splint like this made for women Amazon.com: FUTURO -95346EN For Her Wrist Brace, Helps Support Sprains, Strains, and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, One Size: Industrial & Scientific

If the brace's velcro straps tangle with your thread or yarn, use a disposable glove over it (cut the fingers off, just want the palm smooth)

I have used the brace when I am crocheting but it is akward.

I also sleep with the brace for as long as it takes to get better. 

I hope tis helps but If this does not perhaps you should consult a physician.

Thank you so much. I will definitely look into the brace after I have rested my hand. I think I may also reach out to my doctor in case there is another reason as to why my hand hurts. 

[Granny Square]

Re: the brace - do ask your doctor before buying an over-the-counter brace.  Braces may work for carpal tunnel and maybe other things but it was a brace-like thing (due to complications after surgery I had to wear a compression sleeve that went from armpit to fingertip on my right arm for a lengthy period of time) that was the major contributor to my 'cascade of events' that led to losing the use of my right hand for a good bit of time.  If I move my right thumb in a certain way (now that I think about it, just hitting the space bar does it) it reminds me that the tendonitis is still there, just dull roar; I guess I just got used to it always hurting a little.  And the 'events' happened over 20 years ago.

 

[Munuse13]

32 minutes ago, Granny Square said:

Re: the brace - do ask your doctor before buying an over-the-counter brace.  Braces may work for carpal tunnel and maybe other things but it was a brace-like thing (due to complications after surgery I had to wear a compression sleeve that went from armpit to fingertip on my right arm for a lengthy period of time) that was the major contributor to my 'cascade of events' that led to losing the use of my right hand for a good bit of time.  If I move my right thumb in a certain way (now that I think about it, just hitting the space bar does it) it reminds me that the tendonitis is still there, just dull roar; I guess I just got used to it always hurting a little.  And the 'events' happened over 20 years ago.

 

Thank you, I will be sure to speak to my doctor about it. I hope your right hand isn't causing anymore pain.

[Granny Square]

Thanks for the pain-free wishes.  It usually doesn't really bother me unless I make a 'wrong' move without thinking (like trying to open a jar), then it roars back to life but thankfully only briefly.  (There's also probably a little of 'getting old ain't for sissies' factor there too...)

[Munuse13]

1 minute ago, Granny Square said:

Thanks for the pain-free wishes.  It usually doesn't really bother me unless I make a 'wrong' move without thinking (like trying to open a jar), then it roars back to life but thankfully only briefly.  (There's also probably a little of 'getting old ain't for sissies' factor there too...)

It's my pleasure and I'm glad the pain is only brief. Thank you for all the advice. 

[alexpor]

On 4/4/2021 at 3:00 AM, Munuse13 said:

Dear fellow crocheters,

I am 26 years old and would class myself as an intermediate crocheter and love everything about the craft. 

I have been crochetting for many years in my spare time as I study however for the recently I have been getting a strong pain in my left hand (yarn holding hand). The pain occurs in my palm just below my fingers (the underside of my knuckle, particularly the middle). As I tend to wrap the yarn around my index finger and hold my work with my thumb and middle finger.

At first I knew I was over doing it by crochetting hours at a time, to the point were I had to take a break for 2 months and I have a tight tension which doesn't help.

However today I decided to do a small piece, a curly cue made with 50 stitches which only took me a few minutes but my hand is aching quite badly.

Can anyone offer some advice with how to solve this issue and minimise pain. I am hoping to start a business in the art of crochet and not sure how I will be able to if I get pain in my hand only after a few minutes crochetting. 

 

Thank you.

Don't worry. It is amazing many people ask me... "Is crochet really profitable?" The easy answer to this question (if you're willing to take my word for it of course) is yes!!! It really is possible to profit from crochet and I know this because of my research and continuing business experiences. If you did like to smoothly finish with setting a business in Texas then you need to go refer and fulfil  secretary of state texas business entity search.