Question for the knitters out there!

[OliCreations]

How many hours a day do you knit?
In order to keep my shop updated as often as possible, and get the orders I have done (I don't take orders on etsy but I do take them from people I know) I try to knit at least two or three hours a day...but after a while my left wrist starts hurting...I know wrist pain is common among knitters...what do you do?

[Former_Member]

Maybe either a wrist support, or switching hands (ie if you knit continental, switch to English for a while & vice versa). I've also heard that wooden needles can be easier on the wrists than metal ones.

[OliCreations]

That makes sense since they are lighter...I also use plastic needles often... I'm going to try the wrist support idea, thank you!

[Former_Member]

Hi Francesca - I have started to get tendinitis in my right forearm and am getting cautious about my knitting time. The really important thing is to take breaks during the day - so hours straight should not be done - and to stop every couple of rows and do arm and hand exercises. I get caught up in my projects also and find it hard to stop but your hand health is very important and you need to protect it.

I am planning to go on vacation in a week without my knitting needles so will have a long break then.

Good luck

[AphenaJewelry]

Hi Francesca,

I don't knit but I crochet. Dry hands, cracked hands and sore wrists and arms evolve quickly because I do get into my projects and don't want to stop.

I did find that after every 10-15 minutes of crocheting if I put it down for five minutes and do as Barbara suggested it helps a lot. It is difficult to do at times when I just want to "get it done and see the finished product" but it should help.

ETA - to answer your question, 3-4 hours a day.

[chattypress]

im always so impressed with the knitting and crochet shop owners on here! I knit for myself and gifts sometimes but could never in a hundred million years knit enough to have a shop. Bravo Kudos and a big WooHoo to all you amazing fiber artists on here!

[OliCreations]

I thought taking breaks every once in a while was enough...I never thought of doing exercise during the breaks, that sounds like something easy to do yet very useful!
I get what you mean about the neverwantingtostopjustwantingtogettheprojectfinished! Uuuh gotta work on that!

[OliCreations]

Thank you Jen!

[JeannieGrayKnits]

I generally spend 8+ hours knitting. I'm not obsessed or anything.... LOL

Exercises you can do to help... (& sorry - I'm horrible at explaining. Hope these make sense.)

At least hourly, put your knitting down & shake your hands - like you've just washed them & don't have a towel to dry them with.

Clench & unclench your fingers. Make a fist then spread your fingers out straight & away from each other as far as possible.

Put your hands in the typical prayer position & push. While pushing, lift your elbows a little so that your hands & forearms are at right angles & push a little harder.

From the prayer position, interlock your fingers & push outwards (palms would be facing away from you)

Put your fingers on a table/desk edge, bend your wrists backwards, straighten your arms & push until you feel the strain all the way up your arm.

Put your arm out straight in front of you & bend your wrist back like you are traffic cop saying "halt!") Pull your fingers back until you feel the stretch. Reverse the position & bend your wrist the other way so that your fingers point down & stretch till you feel it.

Other things that I find helpful are circular needles rather than straight. The circs keep the weight of your knitting centered in front of you rather than hanging out on the ends of the straight needles. MUCH easier on the wrists!

My carpal tunnel gets worse when I knit with heavier yarns. These days, I try not to knit with worsted or heavier for more than an hour a day. DK & lighter yarns don't bother me at all.

Pay attention to your hand/wrist/arm position while knitting & try not to have your wrist bent at too much of an angle.

If your wrists are bothering you, sleep in a brace. If you don't have a brace, you can ace bandage a ruler (or anything stiff & sturdy) to your wrist. Use whatever you have handy that will prevent your wrist from bending. Ridiculous, I know but I've done it before when traveling without my brace. Works like a charm!

Hope these ideas help,

[JeannieGrayKnits]

Thought I'd mention - crocheting is a whole different story for me. I crochet about 4 stitches & can't even hold a pencil for a week. Not sure what the difference is (because I literally do knit for 8 hours straight some days) but I think it's because I tend to hold my wrist at a slight angle when I crochet.

[OliCreations]

Wow! Thank you for all the tips on the exercises (they were perfectly clear!) Eight hours a day is a lot! I've noticed too that chunkier yarn makes it worse, thinner yarn is easier on the wrists...

[AphenaJewelry]

"neverwantingtostopjustwantingtogettheprojectfinished! Uuuh gotta work on that! "

Lol. I love how you did that - sums it up nicely. The pain will make you work on that. It is soooo hard to stop but when you can't knit/crochet for a day or two because the pain has become too intense you will start to happily allow yourself the break.

Mine hit when a customer on another venue ordered 4 sets of 4 - thought the 2 day turnaround was for all 16 items rather than 1 set of 4. Busted butt to meet the customer expectations and I made it...I also have had pain and troubles ever since. Don't let yourself get there. :-)

[OliCreations]

Yeah it's not worth having to deal with problems like that! Patience is a useful virtue!

[VeraJayne]

I don't have any advice for knitting but I do crochet and try:) to take breaks. I find if I haven't crocheted for a few days and then have a lot to crochet, I can have cramps on my right hand but this goes away after a few hours back crocheting.

I usually crochet 1 to 2 hours a day ( I have a full time job so I try and fit it in the evenings) but have crocheted for 5 to 6 hours when orders come in:)

[Former_Member]

I usually only knit when I am commuting (on the subway, about 45 minutes each way), but I can knit up to 8 hours a day on weekends. The suggestion to switch to bamboo needles is a good one. I like using circular needles, as well - they are much shorter, so they require a lot less wrist torque to manipulate. Try to use center-pull yarn skeins, or measure out a few arm lengths of yarn at a time so you don't have to tug as much to get the yarn to come to the needles.

And as a final tip - keep a bunch of projects in your queue of various sizes, shapes, and fiber weights/textures - when you become fatigued after working on one thing, take a break, and when you come back from the break, switch to a different project that requires you to knit in a slightly different way.

I hope some of that helps you!

[Former_Member]

I have been up to my neck in it, i have had custom orders from a shop I display in as well as orders here on etsy. I have been knitting or crocheting almost non stop since christmas. I start around 8 in the morning and finish around 5 or 6. I refuse to do any in the evening, I just assume the position on the sofa and eat chocolate.

[Solandia]

What was said above for the exercises is great. This helps for sure.

But for me the most important is my settlement of the hands. It is very much alike what piano students do as their basic teaching - the right standing of the hands. I'm not a specialist here, but you should search for that special position where there should be less possible tension in your wrists. They should feel like they flow, not tensed when you work. And the exercises.
The eyes should rest too. Try to stop from times to times and look afar, then close, and repeat this.
One tip when knitting a dark or black cloth. Spread a piece of white linen over your knees. Thus the eyes are eased to some measure.

[Former_Member]

knitting doesnt seem to be as bad crochet for me, but when i use non bamboo needles it turns to physical torture.

[EmeraldWellspring]

I get stiff and aching fingers and wrists as well because of obsessive knitting. I usually don't stop to take breaks until I've already started experiencing pain. Need to start taking preventative measures. My issue is more with blocking though. I hate waiting for stuff to dry before I can list!

[EmeraldWellspring]

Oh I meant to mention a tip. Get some glucosamine. It will help your aching joints too. And turmeric is anti inflammatory!

[EntwineKnitwear]

This is an interesting thread!

I knit a lot lately, because I love it so much! Sometimes also up to 8 hours a day. But not everyday all the time. Chunky yarn is tougher on the hands I've noticed. Also very thin yarn (laceweight).

I'm a professional violinist, so I've had my training :) During my studies I had to practise 5-6 hours and that taught me how to take care of my hands. 10 min break in one hour and if possible a longer break during the day. Also stretching is extremely useful!

[Former_Member]

I think you get used to it... I crochet almost all day long. I do take breaks when I start aching... but it was much worse when I first started it. About the new products... I had a busy period of orders when I couldn't make any new product. Now I have a break and I am working on new ones...
Try to move your sitting position... I keep moving from my chair to a couch or to an armchair... A wrist band also helps... And take breaks when they start aching...

[EntwineKnitwear]

I strongly recommend you all to take precautions and not wait until your hands or back start aching! It could take years to get your hands back knitting as fast as you use to. Just my humble opinion.... :)

[IoanaStefArt]

Very interesting thread. Also great exercises. Thank you!
I knit for 2 h without a break, and my fingers on the left arm hurt, specially the last 3. But I do a little open and close the wrist exercises.

I always use the circular needles, and I love the bamboo ones - I can not stand the noise the metal ones are making- feel it in my back bone.

[EmeraldWellspring]

when i first started knitting i could knit all day, day after day without getting sore fingers and wrists. now i can only knit about three or four hours before i start hurting. i think it's affected my grip, too. it's kind of hard sometimes to make a tight fist. my hands get a little shaky when i do.