Crafting for any length of time can cause pain, so we now bring you some ways to prevent pain when you create. Someone wise (?) said, “to live is to love.” You gotta love what you do. That’s why we do it, right? Now, one of the lessons that we have learned through life is that sometimes love hurts. So, you either face it and deal with it, OR you try to prevent it.
We know that many of you craft up to the point where you really shouldn't anymore. When the pain becomes too much, your hands, back, and shoulders can ache. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop; it just means that you need to make adaptations to reduce the pain of repetitive stress.
Of course, you should always consult your doctor to make sure you are medically okay. And, WE'RE NOT DOCTORS, so we're not giving you medical advice. But, we did find some tools to help you be more comfortable while you craft.
So, without further ado…
5 Ways to Help with Pain
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means we may garner a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to make a purchase.
1. Thumb stabilizers
This is a simple hack that will make your life easier if you experience thumb pain. It can be so annoying and can stop you from finishing your projects. A thumb stabilizer helps aching, sore, and weak thumbs. It provides moderate stabilizing support, as well as stability to your lower thumb joints. Look for one that doesn't limit finger or wrist movement.
We found this one on Amazon that meets all of our criteria, and may even be FSA or HSA eligible. (Check with your place of employment. We're not promising anything, so please don't come complaining to us if you didn't ask!)
2. Ergonomic hooks
One of the most common ways to deal with hand pain is to make adaptations to the hooks you use. Small, hard-to-grip hooks are really rough on your hands, so simply choosing projects that call for larger hooks can help. Another option is:
Comfort-grip hooks
Comfort-grip hooks are the easiest and the fastest way to ease the pain and continue with your projects painlessly. It's a long-term solution that will allow you to do what you love without any obstacles. If you need another reason or two to get new hooks, click here and find out WHY you should get them.
3. All Day Hand Cream
If you haven't heard about the benefits of CBD, you probably are living off the grid somewhere, and aren't reading this post right now. So, that being said, CBD cream is a wonderful aid for crafting to prevent and help hand pain. The right cream can help reduce inflammation and swelling and even ease tension and anxiety. CBD is not the same as marijuana. It is not addictive, nor is it psychoactive.
Happily Hooked sells All Day Hand Cream and we have a lot of great feedback on it. So, if you're looking for a way to soothe your skin and prevent pain with an all-natural cream, we suggest this is the one to check out.
4. Stretching
Do your sessions turn into marathons? Then like any marathon, before you begin to create, you need to stretch to avoid pain. And you should also stretch when you're finished, like a cooldown. But, you need to take breaks and stretch during your marathon, too. Don’t underestimate the importance of stretching.
If your question is: What kind of stretches should I do? Start with just rolling your wrists around, spreading your fingers like a starfish, spreading then making a pinching motion several times, or even shaking your hands out to get the blood flowing. There is also the traditional fist motion and release, where you gently curl your fingers into a ball and squeeze with your thumb before letting go and stretching your fingers back out again. These do not require a lot of space or time. Just a few minutes.
Once you have covered your hands, move on to your body. Yes, your body, you read this right. Stretch your whole body, especially your shoulders and back. Although you may feel pain just in your hands, it doesn't mean that the rest of your muscles aren't contributing to a general feeling of discomfort.
Gently and slowly rotate your head, roll your shoulders, and link your hands and stretch them out in front of you. They are all great ways to relieve tension that builds from staying in the same spot for too long.
Try our excellent stretching routine here to keep yourself in tip-top shape.
If you're a Happily Hooked member, you have access to some fabulous resources in your Member Library.
In your Member Courses, you have “All Day – 11 Stretches For Healthy & Happy Hands” provided by Dr. Androtti,
and “How to Reduce Pain” in our Member Tutorials section.
5. Stress-relief/compression gloves
When you craft, you work your hand muscles and tendons repetitively, and you can end up with fatigue and strain, and sadly, pain. You may have heard terms like repetitive stress injury or carpal tunnel syndrome. Yikes! (Remember: We're NOT doctors! Go to your doctor!) Compression gloves provide compression (obviously), warmth, and light support around your hands and fingers. This compression increases blood circulation and oxygen delivery. Basically, it helps reduce inflammation and increases healing.
These compression gloves are Amazon's highest-rated pair, have a 100% guarantee and lifetime warranty, and come in several different sizes (so measure carefully to select the right size). Pick your pair, here. Amazon also lists them as FSA and HSA eligible. (Again, you have to check with your place of employment for details about what you can claim on your FSA/HSA.)
For more great advice like this, you should join our members at Happily Hooked! Not only do you get all the great articles in our magazines, but you get access to all the great advice in our Members-Only group on Facebook! We'd love to have you!
Author Info
I've been crocheting since my mother taught me as a little girl. I'm lucky to be working with Happily Hooked and I can't wait to share everything yarny and hooky with you! Yarn over, peeps! Yarn over!
