My solution for wrist pain...

[Krystal16]

I'm young (well, 30's...) and I've started developing wrist pain from crocheting TOO MUCH. (Is there really such a thing?)

 

The problem is, I found myself with time on my hands this evening, after cleaning all day, and I wanted to reward myself. But this wrist pain! OUCH!

 

I have solved my problem!

 

What did I do? I changed my grip! It was a little awkward at first, and it's definitely about half the speed I normally crochet (because I'm making sure my tension is the same...) but I can crochet PAIN FREE!!!

 

I usually have a "knife grip" and now I have more of a "pencil grip" (I guess?) where my palm is facing toward me. So I figure I'll crochet with my new grip when my wrist starts to hurt me with the "usual" grip, and keep switching on and off. NO MORE WRIST PAIN!

 

So my suggestion to those of you suffering wrist pain - go and take a look at the thread where there are pictures of everyone's grip and see if there's one you can change to and still be able to crochet... give it time, it's a little funny feeling at first, but you'll get the hang of it!

 

Maybe you'll even have "grip ONE projects" and "grip TWO projects" if you can't keep your gauge the same!

[monkeybabies]

Glad you found a solution. I crochet knife hold and can not for the life of me do the pencil hold. It just feels so awkward to me.

[Krystal16]

It absolutely does feel awkward - until you do it for a little while! I was determined to crochet last night, that was my only solution. After working a while with "pencil" grip, I did a little in the "knife" grip, and THAT felt awkward! LOL!

[amdm]

Krystal,changing your grip is a very good idea, but there are some additional steps you can take: if you normally wear bangles, bracelets, watch, take them off while crocheting, place your palm on a flat surface, and use your other hand to GENTLY lift each finger and bend it back, when the pain gets unbearable use a hot compress, and some balm.

[MOhooker]

One thing that helped me tremendously was using crayola model magic on the handles of my hooks to make them bigger one bag will do a bunch of hooks!

[RoseRed]

I'm so glad you found a way to work thru the pain!

[Me&P]

Try getting hooks with fatter handles. I swear by Ozarktwist Finger Friendly hooks (sold on ebay).

[Krystal16]

I have tried the fatter hooks - my pain isn't from gripping my hook, it's from the motion I get going within my wrist (kind of a spinning) when I get cruising, and that doesn't change with the fatter hooks. I think it's just the way I developed my style...

 

Is there anyone out there that can crochet with BOTH hands? THAT would be neat, but you would have to have your "left-handed" projects and your "right-handed" projects, as you work completely backwards. I inherited a left-handed WIP, and realized it is IMPOSSIBLE to finish it when you're right-handed.. it went!

 

Well, back to lunch!

[Zaraliz]

Funny, I crochet pencil style and suffer greatly with aching wrists, shoulders and arms. Even using splints I suffer. The only way round this is to crochet for short periods at a time, which of course means I get bored with what I'm making before I finish it. Small things work, like baby socks, teddies and caps. Croknit and Tunisian are useful as they use different joints, though I'm sure that would hurt too after a while. I think any position that is maintained for a long time hurts if you have arthritis. Zaraliz

[Krystal16]

Yes, I agree - that's why I had to switch to a new grip, just to give the joints I was using a break... I'm sure if I use this grip long enough, that something else would hurt! But now, with two grips, I can alternate and hopefully get more crocheting time before something hurts! LOL!

[eebrs]

Great idea! I'm going to try that!

[Sylviaf]

I really find the Hand-eez gloves to be helpful with preventing wrist pain.

[remclave]

...Is there anyone out there that can crochet with BOTH hands? THAT would be neat, but you would have to have your "left-handed" projects and your "right-handed" projects, as you work completely backwards. I inherited a left-handed WIP, and realized it is IMPOSSIBLE to finish it when you're right-handed.. it went!

 

Well, back to lunch!

:DYes!

[boo1]

I really find the Hand-eez gloves to be helpful with preventing wrist pain.

 

 

[tahlara]

It helps me when I switched between projects that require different hand grips, ex. ww and cotton yarns for knife grip and thread for pencil grip.

 

I can do knife grip for thread but I found out that my tension is better with pencil grip. I guess the fabric's thickness affect how I crochet.

[butterfly_girl]

I"ve thought about this. I'm getting tendonitis. and I crochet using knife grip. the other grip feels awkward! i know there are exercises i should be doing.........but dont'. i was crocheting one of the one skein scarves from happy hooker, but i lost the hook. it's so werid. uh oh, gotta go....ds is ready to get out of the tub.

 

One thing I need to do is change the way i keep tension on the yarn. It's kinda of odd, and gets uncomfortable. I keep the yarn tension with my index finger, catching the yarn against the palm of my hand or whatever. It's not good! It hurts a lot after awhile, so then I switch to having it the proper way. it's awkward that way though, and it slows me down..

[Katchkan]

Funny I was playing around with that just last night also. Just to see If I could get used to it. I am slower than slow with the pencil grip. But figured I needed to practice it in case my tendinitis or carpal tunnel acts up. I was working on a filet piece in the rnd and I would work a section one way and then the next section with the other grip. It was interesting to say the least. Doubt that I will ever go straight pencil grip, but it's nice to know I can change over if necessary to complete a project or just to crochet when my body starts to object too strenuosly......

[chocchip]

I got my Hand-Eez gloves at Walmart, and I love them. My wrists always hurt after about 15 min of crocheting without them. But if I put them on I can go for an hour or so without a break and the terrible pain!

[yarn_monkey]

I've done the same thing for my wrist pain, except the opposite. I usually do the pencil hold and when my wrist starts bothering me, I switch to the knife hold and it doesn't seem to bother me nearly as bad! And thank goodness for that, because I refuse to put the hook down!! I guess it just starts working things in a different way and gives other parts of your wrist a bit of a break. Heck, I don't care about the science behind it, as long as it helps!!

[squeakygirl]

I'm like Yarn Monkey - a natural pencil gripper, but when things start to get achy, I move to knife grip. It took me a long time to learn knife grip, and I'm much slower with it, but at least I can keep crocheting!

[ptlycloudy]

My pain doesn't come from my hook holding hand but my other hand. Something I do either with holding the yarn or the project with that hand gives my terrible pain in the palm of my hand and thumb. I have no idea why. Maybe I should try a Hand eze glove to see if that helps.