What I like to call "crochet finger". Anyone else ever had it?

[uncleruckus]

I've noticed that when I hold the yarn, my pointer finger on my left hand cramps up so bad, I can't do another stitch. Anyone else ever have this problem? It permanently gets stuck bent the way I'm holding the yarn, and doesn't want to straighten back out.

I don't want to carpal tunnel or arthritis, but I just love to crochet.

[abc-dee]

i know what you mean, i have found that if i wind the yarn around my pinky, then the other 3 fingers twice, i can keep my fingers from getting crochet finger as i can maintain tension and alternate the stiff finger

 

hope that makes sense,, i know i use to try taking breaks to loosen the fingers up.. but when you are right into a WIP ya just cant stop ya need another option.

[cjansen]

I've had this problem from the beginning of my crochet life. that is how I learned to crochet my own way but others do it too by "throwing" the yarn instead of holding it "right". I also saw a demo on youtube with someone holding the yarn and fabric a whole differnent way. look around and see if you can either find some one or a demo to learn another way.

[RoseRed]

relax your hand. It's not supposed to hurt.

 

I drape the yarn over my pointer finger and control the tension with my ring finger/pinky against my palm. It's the way my grandmother did it.

 

I showed her a picture of the 'right' way to hold your yarn (all wrapped around the pinky and thru the fingers) and she said "People are always trying to do things the hard way." I miss her so much.

[darski]

I agree with RoseRed. I just hold the yarn against my palm without all that contortion stuff. I've never had my hands get tired this way... but of course I do crochet loosely.

 

Some people don't like loose crochet though...

 

[chrispersmom]

I guess I don't hold my yarn the right way either. I hold mine just like most people hold a cigarette, between the pointer and middle finger. My mom taught me to crochet and she did the draping over the pointer and all of that, but I never could get it to work. It was always too tight, so she just let me do my own thing. However I felt comfortable. The way I hold it, there is no finger cramping.

[Ladycrochat]

I agree with RoseRed.........It shouldn't hurt! The only problem I have is one with calluses developing on my hook holding hand! OOPS! I see that Darski also agrees! But as long as you are comfortable crocheting, I don't think there is any right way or wrong way to do it!

[CroJulee]

It's really funny you'd bring that up. When I was teaching a 9 year old boy to crochet yesterday I told him all about the "CROCHET FINGER" but I assured him it only comes after a ton of crocheting. At least it does for me. I sure had it yesterday.

 

Julee

[mellybelly]

I guess I don't technically hold my yarn the 'right' way either. I'm with RoseRed...I drape it over and keep tension with my ring/pinky fingers. If anything, I tend to get 'crochet THUMB' on my hook hand. No clue why.... Perhaps I need to pay more attention to my technique and figure it out!

[mamarose22]

I guess I also hold it the way RoseRed does. Sometimes I even wrap it a couple of times aroind the pointer finger. I believe this is called the Continental way of crocheting. I think there are videos for crocheting the Continental way or the American way. Perhaps you can make an adjustment from one method to the other. I too, get cramping from the "crochet/pointer" finger but that is because it is due to trigger finger.

[texasredhead]

This is called Trigger Finger. I have it too on my crochet hand. I use Glycosomine with MSM to help this. I also take arthritis medicine too like naprosan . I also have some Arthritis gloves that I like to wear. I guess resting helps too, but who has time to rest??

[neenas3]

i find that taking breaks and using hot or cold packs helps with this.

[uncleruckus]

I hold it the way my grandmother taught me, I guess I'm just in the habit of holding it the way I do. I've tried to hold it the other way, but I'm a tight crocheter, so I don't feel like I have enough tension.

 

I guess I'll just have to get into the habit of holding it another way.

 

 

It cramps up after about five minutes, though, which is reallly annoying.

[boksie]

I don't have that problem but my hand gets a tingly sensation and partly numb at the same time if that makes any sense. I know I don't hold my hook and yarn the "right' way because I swap the hand I'm holding the yarn in mid-stitch. Guess I'm strange. lol.

[mamarose22]

Boksie, the tingling, numbing sensation could be the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome. You might want to check it out by a doctor.

[everkutz]

I get crochet thumb on the hand that holds the yarn or project, not my hook hand. I've had to wear a brace for two weeks or so at a time when this flares. It is arthritis and flares up after a crocheting marathon! I guess we should all remember to RELAX, take breaks, and flex our hands when crocheting for long periods!

[beginner8]

I have also gottem very sore in the past from crocheting, but I bought a magnetic bracelet and it helped wonders. It just broke 2 weeks ago and I am starting to get sore again in my hands and wrists. I will be buying another one ASAP.

[snapdragon928]

I also get it in my thumb that holds the fabric and the finger. Not so bad in the finger. If I can relax a bit it helps. I tried to crochet with a thumb brace that was not pretty. I broke that thumb or sprained it in a car accident, and it always gets sore when used to much. I more often get sore shoulders and neck when crocheting long periods. I have arthritis in the neck, degenerative disc disease which is a fancy way to say arthritis in the back bone. It hurts any time my shoulders gets sore or the other way around, my shoulders hurt when my neck hurts not sure what comes first. AAll for the love of crochet.

[proudmama762003]

I don't have that problem but my hand gets a tingly sensation and partly numb at the same time if that makes any sense. I know I don't hold my hook and yarn the "right' way because I swap the hand I'm holding the yarn in mid-stitch. Guess I'm strange. lol.

 

i'd sure like to see a video of that...my mind is trying to wrap around it and it's pretty funny - LOL

[squirrel]

I'm confused, we use different names for the fingers in the UK.

It goes thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger here.

 

Someone please explain the amercian equivalents?

[mamarose22]

We use the same terms in the US. (The little finger is also called the pinky.) What is being called the crochet finger is usually the finger they are using most to crochet with; trigger finger is a term for a finger that triggers and locks and eventually needs surgery (if cortisone shots fail).

[angieInCA]

I'm confused, we use different names for the fingers in the UK.

It goes thumb, index, middle, ring and little finger here.

 

Someone please explain the amercian equivalents?

 

 

We use the same terms. We also use pointer finger for Index and pinky finger for little.

[VintageEnthusiast]

I've noticed that when I hold the yarn, my pointer finger on my left hand cramps up so bad, I can't do another stitch. Anyone else ever have this problem? It permanently gets stuck bent the way I'm holding the yarn, and doesn't want to straighten back out.

I don't want to carpal tunnel or arthritis, but I just love to crochet.

 

 

Yes, this happens to me as well. When I crochet I usually do it while watching tv and if left alone can sit on that couch, crochet and watch tv all day!!! LOL... so I do tend to cramp up. but I love it