My knitting career is ending before it even started!

[dddebbb3]

A knitting nurse told me to stop about twice an hour to "pray" - put your palms together, fingers pointing up, elbows bent and sticking out, thumbs to your chest, to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. I also like to warm my hands under a heated rice bag to relax them during a long session. Taking many short breaks will keep you from having to take days or weeks off to recover. Ask me how I know this!

[catlvr]

You may have carpal tunnel syndrome. If it continues, you may want to consult your doctor I use a brace when knitting and it helps. You can purchase one at Walgreens or any other drugstore.

[crazykntter83]

You may have carpal tunnel syndrome. If it continues, you may want to consult your doctor I use a brace when knitting and it helps. You can purchase one at Walgreens or any other drugstore.

That's a really good idea. I have carpal tunnel syndrome, and I bet that would help a lot with my knitting. I'll have to check into that. Thanks!!

[RuthieinMaryland]

Hi!

Here's a wonderful video on continental that I learned from and I LOVE it. It helped me get the motions right and how to wrap the yarn correctly so that I could knit smoothly with little to no stress. As a result I've also speeded up but the important thing is that I rarely have knitting-related stress pains anymore! Hope this helps...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLF...eature=related

Ruthie

[Mokumegane]

Also, the materials you work with can affect how your hands feel. Some things are easier on your hands than others. Needles play a huge role in this. I find bamboo and wood easier on my hands and there's also needles specifically designed for people with hand problems (arthritis, etc.). If you're knitting and your hands start feeling tired, you can wear some Hand-eze gloves for a bit and knit a little more. Other than that, it's just getting used to a new movement, building up muscles, etc. It takes time... won't be forever but it'll be annoying until you get there. You can also try knitting with large needles until your hands, wrists, lower arms get used to it.

[Shandeh]

I have daily pain all over my body, and have learned that I must slow down everything a little. I mean, I CAN move quicker, but it causes pain. So, I just pace myself.

The same issue is true with my hands, wrists, fingers, arms, and shoulders. I knit every day, and sometimes switch to crochet. (I am an organist and pianist as well.) The only way I can keep it up is because I take it SLOW. I COULD knit faster, but I will pay the price later. So, just like I said before, I pace myself.

I knit in the English style, because Continental knitting is too painful for me. (The pain is worse on my left side.) I just make smooth motions, and don't hold the yarn too tight. I have to remind myself to slow down, and let the yarn flow. And switching to different projects keeps me from using exactly the same muscles all the time.

Everyone is different. So, as others said before, just try different methods. I've heard that Portugese knitting is good for knitters with pain. Good luck with your pain issues!

[TrueIconoclast]

I actually had that problem when I started working at Baskin Robbins lol. You're building muscle, which means that you're ripping your muscles apart, and then they're healing. It's a natural process.

So, give it a couple days rest, maybe soak it in some hot water. Also, drink extra water to flush out the lactic acid that your muscles are releasing...if you don't flush it out, your muscles will ache even more than they should.

Then, when they feel better, have at it again! When they start to get sore stop for a while, let them heal, and then do it again.....eventually your muscles will build up and you won't ever need to stop.

[Mokumegane]

Iconoclast said something VERY important here... DRINK WATER! Water is very good for you... you're 75% water as it is and throughout the day, you lose some, so replenish that! Also, drinking water will flush out things that your body creates or that you eat that's not great for you. If you drink caffeine drinks, you're dehydrating yourself. To get yourself back up to having drank zero glasses of water a day from caffeinated beverages, you must match the amount you drank with water, then you have to drink more to make sure you replace the water you lost in the day. The doctor I went to yesterday mentioned to EVERYONE there that if you don't drink enough water, your muscles will hurt. I always drink a lot of water... it's my #1 choice of drink, really...

[hyperactive]

knitters are different. There is no doubt.
I knit continental style and with very efficient motion, as I believe. Therefore I am fast and hardly ever suffer anything from it- Well, a light notch in my index finger on long sessions with sock yarn.

You may just have to settle into the right habits. No matter which method you use: practice will help to make your motions more efficient and less taxing.

You know: most people walk, but no one believes to run a marathon with in a week of starting up. It is normal that you would hurt from that.
You have never knit before and therefore your arms do have muscles and they learn how to move but you really have not built up any endurance yet.


And: I only work with circular needles (or dpn for in the round). I do not use straight needles.
My grandmother almost had to stop knitting because of pain in her arms and shoulders (after many years of knitting, not as a newbie). She then switched from straight to circs and was fine for many years more.
Cirs are just shorter and therefore do not act as a lever so much.


Afterthought: what yarn are you working with? Ridgid cotton like for pot holders makes me ake really bad - and I usually have no problems. It just has no give.

[MsB]

I'm so sorry :( and I feel your pain. Except mine was from my wrist to my elbow. I couldn't even hold a cup. Turns out I had knitters/tennis elbow and haven't been able to knit for well over a year. But I'm going to give it another try.