Back Pain from Crocheting too much???

[mama4ray]

I've been working really hard on a baby afghan for my husband's cousin's baby shower. I tend to sit for hours at a time without moving cause I want to finish it. Last Friday I started having pain in my keft side of my back. It felt like a pulled muscle or something. So I waited to see if it got better. It only got worse. SO worse it hurts to sit for more than a few minutes. So I went to the Dr. and the Dr. thinks I tore a muscle or as she put it damaged something. So I have to go for xrays and things to figure out what happend. I was talking to my SIL and she said that maybe because I have been crocheting so much I got stiff and then went to pick up my son (he 40 lbs) and tore the muscle somehow. Has anyone had this problem before? I like crocheting cause its soooooo relaxing for me and keeps me busy. I hope that this isnt the reason for my back pain.

[Robyn]

Sometimes if I'm sitting crocheting for too long, I'll get pain in my neck and shoulders that goes down through my back. It usually lasts a few minutes, but there are times when it lasts a lot longer and I have to put everything down for a while. I attribute it mostly to my FMS and have never really thought about it being anything else. Sorry you're hurting. Sometimes, sadly, we just have to take a break.

[RoseRed]

I get that too - you need to get up and stretch.

[ErinLindsey]

Marathon crocheting has been painful for me before. I tend to sit on my bed and crochet for hours. If I sit indian style, my feet will fall asleep, and I have to move around a lot. My neck will hurt because I'm looking down at my hands...my back will get stiff and sore, and for some bizzare reason, my hips get the most pain. I'll get up to move around, and my hips will be screaming in pain.

 

You have to get up and move around a bit...even if it is just to go to the bathroom, you have to get up and move to keep from being too stiff.

[purlwise]

LOL, it sit in a recliner with my feet up and I don't see to have any problems doing that.

[Real Deal]

Yes, you can have awful back pain from crocheting. Try this: Put support under the arm of the side that you crochet on. I'm a lefty, so I have to get a firm pillow under my left arm. We tend to lean a little the direction we crochet, and your arms are actually very heavy. Plus, the longer you sit, the worse your posture tends to get, and that makes back pain even worse. I try to move my position a bit, like putting my legs up for a while, then back down for a while.

Real Deal

[crochetluvknot]

LOL, it sit in a recliner with my feet up and I don't see to have any problems doing that.

thats the only way to be i have my own little corner with my hook yarn tote and recliner

[MaryPat]

I have a slightly curved spine, so I tend to lean to the left when I sit. If I'm crocheting intensely, it means I really lean left. If I do it for a long time, I will get a muscle spasm when I stop. So I have to stop and stretch regularly

[mama4ray]

Well at least I know I'm not the only one LOL! Its been a week of this intense pain so I doubt its actually from the crocheting. No matter what my SIL says. I am soooooo addicted to crocheting that I actually only stopped for one day and then Ive been crocheting lying down in bed LOL!!!! I need it to relax!

[2020kitten]

First off, I'm sorry you're going thru this. Back pain is NOT fun at all.

 

First off, follow your doc's advice especially if there is damage to bone or soft tissue.

 

For comfort, try the suggestions from the others. I especially like the recliner idea - when I dislocated a vertebra at work in August, and was off for six weeks, we purchased one, and it's been great.

 

Also, use pillows to support whichever part of your back is hurting. Lumbar rolls are great - if you don't have one, use a rolled-up towel (can secure with a rubber band if needed); also, I have a buckwheat hull pillow I purchased when I was going through a bout of back-to-back migraines; it's great, and you can fluff it in different places to match your support needs.

 

Good luck, and hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[mama4ray]

I guess they want me to go in for Xrays and they put me on pain meds that make me all loopy and do nothing for the pain. I'm going on 2 weeks of pain its weird. The Dr. told me I could continue to crochet as long as I'm lying down. I laugh at the lying down part cause I have a 2 year old and there isn't much laying down time for me.

[lhasaapsolady]

Sorry your back is hurting you, feel better soon, maybe some icy hot patches would help.

[LittleJadeFrog]

Seems to be the time of the year for crochet injuries. Sorry you are having back pain. It's so sad when you enjoy something SO much that you want to spend all day doing it only to suffer consequences that make you need to stop (whether we actually stop is another story ). I sit at work and then later when I am home I sit with my feet up and crochet. On the weekends my kids are at daddy's there are times I only get up to eat and potty (Christmas is almost here). Lately my tail bone has been sore. Not too bad but noticable. I tried to sit with my feet down like I do at work but it is just not comfortable. And when I am at Tae Kwon Do some kicks hurt too....I am thinking of a donut cushion...some may know EXACTLY what I mean!

[DreamsOfYarn]

Stephanie, I know exactly what you mean. I have narrowing of the vertebrae and sitting for long periods of time (for me long is 1/2 hour), is a huge no no. If I need to sit for longer, which I do a lot when I'm crocheting, I use a donut cushion and it works wonders. I crocheted a little 'donut ghan' for it too

[mythunderbird]

im sorry your hurting honey, more than likely it was not the crocheting that did it but lifting your child, 40 pounds is alot for a person to lift and if you do it like everyone else stoop down and snatch him up then thats probably your problem. i suffer from severe back pain and i can tell you what helps me is i stretch alot, and also move around, i lay on the love seat with my legs up under a pillow and then i crochet until i feel it getting tense then i stretch, you can do stretches without even getting up ya know. just lay back and stretch those arms and legs,. also have you tried the ice on 20 min oce off 20 or heat thesame way. my spine doc said never bend down but lift with your knees

course now my knees are going out too but i am a old lady lol mostly try and not be in one position at one time , has the doc mentioned therapy? if you did strain or slightly tear your muscles you can have ultrasound therapy on it and trust me it helps ALOT, keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. try and not lift the baby to much, instead if you do have to pick him up have him crawl up to you where your sitting down and use your legs not your back to lift him sorry am so long winded. been there done that and didn;t even get a stupid tshirt for it:P take care sweetie

[Momcrochets]

Yes, you can have awful back pain from crocheting. Try this: Put support under the arm of the side that you crochet on. Real Deal

 

I can't put support under my arms...they like to move! If I'm too close to the edge of my seat, my arms begin to ache. But I also will change position to ease the pressure on my back...like real deal, feet up and down. also legs cross and un cross. also grabbing sofa pillows and stuffing them behind me when I need to.

[ThreadHeroine]

Good thing I'm not the only one! Even when I'm in a recliner if I'm crocheting for extended periods I get this pain on my back below my left shoulder blade. But if I quit for a while the pain goes away. I thought that I was leaning too much to the left so I kept compensating but the pain shows up anyway.

[Boobie]

You have answered my question regarding pain and crocheting. I to have been sitting hours and days at a time crocheting then the spasm started where I could barely stand up. I have changed the time spent sitting for long periods have had a little relief along with medication

[clovertheclever]

Oh, Boobie, back pain is no fun, certainly. You do need to get up and walk around a few minutes every hour or so, it's easy to forget so set a timer on your phone for example. It really helps. Like, pain is your body’s way of telling you not to do something, so you need to change its position temporarily. Without stretches and occasional walks the pain is real. I'd recommend you to see your doctor first and do some exercises. 
Stay safe!

[Justme2020]

While crocheting I have begun to have pins and needles sensations in my feet and hands.  What the heck is going on?

Edited April 26, 2020 by Justme2020

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

How long do you crochet in 1 sitting?  Do you crochet every day?  Feet???  I think you might want to look at your posture/furniture setup, your body is telling you something is wrong, maybe you will need to add pillows or something to support your posture, arm, and maybe a footstool.  My couch has a pull-out footrest, my feet don't reach the floor and I can't NOT support them (kills my back).  

Long story, I had tendonitis (not craft caused) 20 years ago that required a cast for 6 weeks, and it STILL flares up if I don't 'behave'.  Don't injure yourself, put the hook and yarn down for a while and give it your body a rest.  I limit my crochet to a couple of hours a day, and a few weeks between projects or I'll be sorry....