First Person
On the Injured Reserve List
I can’t remember how it started, but I do remember blaming it on a sweater (name withheld to protect the possibly innocent) and the amount of purling said sweater had required. What it was was a pinpoint of pain at the base of my thumbs.
Yes, both thumbs.
I took my hands to my osteopath who assessed the situation. She showed me where to press to release what seemed to be a seized muscle. I considered it a form of exquisite torture, a one-person S&M session if you will.
This provided some relief as did acupuncture, but it’s become something I live with because it’s never fully gone away. I plan to cross-reference it with my regular doctor soon.
More concerning than the discomfort, however, was the thought that this might mean the end of my knitting or, at the very least, the reduction of it. It was a kind of identity crisis. Who would I be if I weren’t a knitter?
While I wear many hats, being a knitter has been one of my longest and most enriching identities. Not only have I made sweaters and other items I love, but I’ve made friends and memories through knitting.
I can recall the afternoon in Granville, Ohio, when my aunt (also a knitter) and I went to her LYS. I bought a skein of Malabrigo and knit the Alaria shawl, which I still wear today. The non-yarn souvenirs don’t have the same resonance.
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I’ve been hearing more frequently about knitting-related injuries (or injuries that prevent us from knitting), and it’s piqued my curiosity. What are some injuries my fellow knitters have sustained, how have they dealt with them, and what were some the fears brought on by their injuries?
I started a thread in the Ravelry discussion board of a podcast I listen to and hoped for some insights.
This elbow right here
I was not surprised by tennis elbow, arthritis, or osteoporosis. A broken knuckle was a new one for me, and it seemed that cuts to the hand were more common than I’d anticipated. Computer mouses are a culprit as is extensive purling.
To manage my own discomfort, a friend taught me how to do combination knitting, which changed the way I purl—I am a continental knitter.
Despite being on the injured reserve list, the commitment to knitting remains strong.
A common suggestion employed by a number of respondents is switching up the project you’re working on. It seems all those fingering-weight sweaters can take their toll and mixing it up with a chunky scarf or a worsted-weight beanie could allow one to work through injury.
Fiber content was also mentioned, with a move from yarns like linen and cotton to ones with some stretch, like wool.
Switching crafts was also suggested. Idle hands and all that, right?
Crochet (for some it was good; others, not so much), hand-sewing, embroidery, and spinning (with a wheel) were offered as ways to occupy the injured crafter. One person was undeterred by their inability to knit and attended their LYS knit night with a coloring book.
Perhaps one of my favorite therapies was the at-home hot wax treatment for hands. A quick internet search confirmed the therapeutic value of paraffin wax treatments for arthritis, sore muscles, and sore joints. This feels more like a spa treatment than S&M.
The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is a worth a pound of cure” seems to apply here as well. Knitting Comfortably by Carson Demers contains a wealth of information on this.
Wrists are also at risk
Many knitters employ braces, splints, and tape in a prophylactic way. There was a lot of mention of stretching and strength training. If one wasn’t sufficiently motivated by general health to do their exercises, perhaps doing it in service of one’s knitting is the carrot needed.
Not surprisingly, ibuprofen popped up as did limiting one’s time knitting.
Not many responses addressed fears directly, and I get it. I know it’s hard to acknowledge what we worry about when we’re injured. There’s the sense that by speaking (or writing) it aloud, we will call it into existence.
I appreciated the person who said that knitting helped them with the management of anxiety and that they didn’t want to think of a permanent end to their “yarn play.”
So, I’m still curious. What would the end of knitting mean for me? What would it mean for you?
I’d love to hear how you’ve dealt with injuries and the way you keep yourself, and your mind, occupied when you’re not able to knit. One thing I do know is that no matter how much or how little I knit, I will always identify as a knitter. Injury cannot take that away from me.
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This is very interesting. I have a frozen shoulder. I think it’s from sitting on the sofa watching TV and knitting socks. The sofa is very soft and comfortable, so it’s hard to sit with good posture.
I have Carsen Semers’ book. It’s wonderful. I live in the UK and I bought it second hand from Abe Books in the USA so it was very expensive! But it’s an investment. I’m already tucking cushions behind my back in the right places!!
I had frozen shoulder too, diagnosed with a CT scan as “adhesive capsulitis”. It was agonizing, and nothing seemed to help. I finally tried acupuncture and it worked! It was my first experience with acupuncture and I must admit I didn’t hold out much hope. In my experience you will know after the first treatment if it will help. It took a while but eventually fixed the issue.
An acupuncturist fixed my frozen shoulder some years ago. Maybe give that a try. If I remember it took about six sessions.
I’m waiting to see a physiotherapist to sort it out. In the meantime I’m doing some gentle exercises to loosen it up a bit. I just do a few while I’m waiting for the kettle to boil or I’m taking a break from knitting, that sort of thing!
Cathy – I had a frozen shoulder a few years ago. Get thee to a physical therapist with experience. Took almost a year but I can knit again without pain. (And sleep and put on a bra . . . ) Check out Carson’s book or the KnittingPT on Instagram for exercises and most importantly proper posture. Our moms were right, sit up straight, shoulders down! LOL. Good luck.
I occasionally think of what it would mean to not be able to knit at all, and I immediately pick up some complicated knitting to put it out of my mind, because the anxiety at just the thought is too much to bear. At 66, I’m lucky I have not had any major problems yet, just a bit of arthritis in the fingers that hasn’t slowed down my knitting yet.
After a lifetime of working with my hands, both for employment in healthcare and also being a maker of many types of needlework, arthritis set in. I finally gave into the pain and had surgery on my right hand/thumb earlier this year. (Not carpal tunnel). It was a longer recovery than I thought. It is so ironic that you wrote this, because I just went back to knitting three days ago after 5 months off. Slowly. I am optimistic, but I need the same surgery on the left. After the surgery, I worked with an occupational therapist who specializes in hands. I strongly recommend this whether you have had surgery or not. Best of luck with this, and I hope you heal soon.
I have a broken arm at the moment and am bewildered at not being able to knit for 6 weeks! So I bought an arm frame and am doing an embroidery – I can do 80% of the stitching with 1-hand. I have a shroom and have duplicate stitched the toes of all my socks . But I know I am in trouble now – I have decided to draw a field of flowers on a wall and am going to turn it into a full scale mural lol – 1-handed! Cast comes off in a few weeks – can’t be sooner!
I had the base-of-the-thumb surgery too, and it’s a last resort of course but it was a total cure for me. My pain was so bad I not only couldn’t knit but couldn’t work in my beloved garden, or do many other things. Best to have one hand done at a time as that hand will be unusable for some weeks. I don’t remember “five months” but it did seem long, and I still remember the joy of the first time post-surgery that I could knit again. Zero pain then and for all the many years since. If needed you can have carpel tunnel surgery at the same time so it doesn’t extend the recovery time. I also highly recommend Carson’s book; it’s great for preventing pain but it couldn’t have “cured” mine when the damage was already done.
I had theCDC joint arthritis surgery after several steroid shots which only worked for awhile. Knitting six weeks later. Then I got a trigger thumb and had that surgically released. All due to knitting. I am too stubborn to give up knitting and let my hands rest! I highly recommend the Push Meta brace, if you have CMC arthritis. Put off my surgery for a couple of years.
I would probably no longer be able to make new friends or maintain social connections. Knitting is how I do that. I would probably no longer get be able to express my love for my people that I love so much. Knitting is how I do that. I probably wouldn’t be able to watch so much football with my husband. Knitting is how I do that. The loss of knitting would be pretty devastating. Deep down I know I would probably figure out how to do all these things without knitting but life would lose a lot of simple joy.
“Knitting is how I do that.” You put it so well, Gina!
Of course we would find other ways, but still.
So well said. ..knitting is so much more than the projects.
I also have pain at the base of both thumbs! I blame the repetitive stress of years of working in a clinical laboratory, but knitting has also been a contributor. I manage by using heat, massage, ibuprofen, and limits to the knitting time. Giving up knitting is not an option. Switching between projects is also a good idea. Every day a new adventure.
Recently diagnosed with the ‘injury’ of alpha gal syndrome, (allergy to mammal products) my skin is very sensitive to lanolin, and the smell of wet wool bothers me. I’ve put my rustic yarns aside and am using only superwash, and washing in water only, no wool wash products because they usually contain lanolin. As for physical problems I find that frequent stretching helps, and a project with varied texture or color changes is better than long stretches of stockinette.
I too have suffered with injuries and I called this my existential crises as I have been a knitter for more than 65 years. I sat down with myself to understand besides the actual act of knitting, what aspects gave me joy. Coming to the top of the list was color and second to that is texture. I am one of those shoppers who goes to clothing stores and touches everything. So with those things in mind, I have moved to weaving and quilting. Yes that has been a huge learning curve but so worth it. The weaving in particular allows me to access and use the yarns I have collected and the quilting brings me color joy.. And now I split my days, sometimes weeks, depending on the condition of my hands, between 3 crafts, always working on the balance that brings my hand pain into something liveable. I hope Claudia, that you can spread your fiber wings and find joy outside of knitting. Good luck.
❤️
I have had “Trigger Thumb” treated with rest and injections (successfully, thank the knitting gods). I have also had hand/wrist/arm fatigue and aching, which has been successfully remedied by using a Boppy (nursing pillow, on which I rest my arms. It’s amazingly effective! Currently, I’m also mostly ignoring a little elbow trouble… I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t find workarounds. Not being able to knit is truly frightening and I’m grateful that soon far, I’ve been able to “Knit on through all things”.
You had me at Trigger Thumb. I have a trigger finger and have found relief by rubbing it with an arnica salve. Since I found this salve in May, most mornings I don’t have trigger finger anymore.
I have sore muscles and a finger that locks up in the morning that I have to manually manipulate. But by doing stretches and moving my fingers, my hands get limber enough after my 1st cup of coffee to pick up my knitting.
My big problem is in my neck and shoulders. I end up with numb, tingling arms, and hands. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t sleep through the night without shooting pain. Is it related to Knitting? I don’t know. But it is certainly an impact there. I would be curious as to what people might do. Prednisone works great, but one can’t live on that!
I need my Knitting. I knit at least four hours a day. And so limiting my knitting time is not going to happen!
In 2020/2021 I developed deQuervain’s tenosynovitis after blasting through more than three dozen “Plague Beanies,” one or more of which was a holiday gift to each person I knew. I had to stop knitting and wear a brace. After about a year my problem subsided, the plague receded, and I was able to knit again, with caution not to go down too deep into the rabbit hole.
If I could not knit any more… the result would be the freeing-up of several hundred cubic feet of storage space in my small house, and the conversion of several nearby thrift stores into “yarn stores.”
In 2007, I too had deQuervain’s tenosynovitis after over 30 years of knitting like a fiend. After successful surgery on both wrists and months of recover, I’m happy to say I still knit almost daily, but I’ve learned the importance of many breaks throughout!
I am currently following instructions, not to knit due to having had surgery on my left hand. I have had quite a few surgeries on my hands over the years due to rheumatoid arthritis. While I miss my knitting and crocheting, I am using the opportunity to get caught up on previously purchased workshops (mainly Knit Stars). This fall I will have the same surgery on my right hand. I know it’s necessary to minimize reduction of function, but I’m just thankful that I am able to knit and crochet given the state of my hands. I have resolved that if it ever comes to the point that I must give up my craft that I will be able to find something else to fill my time.
I’ve been knitting since before my injury/ies–two dislocated thumbs. It’s only begun to bother me recently, and I am doing hand strengthening and stretching exercises. Those seem to help a little but the biggest help has been tucking one needle in between my thighs (for me, the right), and knitting that way by moving my left arm more. Probably doesn’t help all of you frozen shoulder friends, but it’s been pain free for me. When I use circular needles, the right hand side is tucked into the crease at the top of my thigh and hip. If I’m knitting with straight needles, the angle of the work is higher and it’s easier to see my knitting (there was also a neck injury from long ago, so a lot of looking up and down can be difficult) and that’s good, mostly. Until I make a mistake and have to go back some.
Occasionally, someone will tell me that I knit funny, or that I’m doing it wrong. NO. I’m an adaptive knitter.
We have a friend who is blind, and frankly, my eyesight, or losing it, worries me more than my thumbs/wrists/neck/elbows. Part of my love of knitting is just the colors. I love color.
Take care out there!
I’ve had both thumb basal joints operated on. Different technique last year from the first one 9 years ago. It works. I’m knitting up a storm and opening jars as well. Good luck. Deb
No one has mentioned using an OTC thumb splint. It gives the thumb a “rest” during the times you are not knitting. Thirty years a go a callous hand surgeon told me my left thumb was “worthless” and I needed surgery. I got the splint instead (Futuro, available every where in drug stores, Target, etc) and still haven’t had surgery. I am 79 and have been knitting since I was 12; I can’t knit for as many hours in a row as I once did, but I still knit every day.
I actually ended up using knitting as pt when I almost lost the top of my right thumb. I started a sweater, worsted, 2 weeks later. My hand Doc was gobsmacked!
I do have pain at the base of my thumb and my left hand tends to get the pricklies
Still, I knit.
I started knitting not long after i met my husband. We loves to watch cooking shows and, while he is 6’2” and has never had to worry about his weight, i am 5’3” and just looking at a brownie adds a dress size to my fanny. So i took up knitting as a way to keep my hands busy and ear less popcorn, chips and cookies during those episodes of Top Chef. I worry that if I couldn’t knit id pack on the lbs!
I’m sure you have tried an ergonomic way of knitting which is a technique using a pin. The pin is placed around your chest and the yarn is threaded through it.
I think it’s a “Polish”way of knitting.
If not, give it a look.
It’s actually Portuguese knitting. There are some excellent videos on just how to do it.
During covid, knitting helped my anxiety. So I knit like crazy, hours upon hours, watching shows on Netflix. Needless to say, my hands eventually rebelled and I developed de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. My doctor recommended rest, ice, a hand brace at night…and those helped. But what really worked was to not knit, for quite a long time, maybe a year. Very early on I had an enormous sense of loss, how the heck was I going to stay sane with no knitting? So I bought a spinning wheel. I’d been interested in spinning, but didn’t want ‘more stuff.’ My wheel purchase proved to be a good decision. Different hand movement, an interesting challenge to develop a new skill. And I found spinning has a meditative quality that matches knitting for me. Eventually I found I could knit again, I just need to take breaks, vary the activity, and recognize my body’s signals better.
Just before I read this, I put on my compression gloves because my hands were tingling. Sometimes I sleep wearing the gloves, sometimes wearing wrist braces. Occasionally I have steroid injections in my wrists. So far, still knitting, crafting and computing.
Also, when I’m sitting, my watch tells me to stand for a few minutes every hour. I don’t always pay attention, but that helps.
My massage therapist told me to put down the knitting every 30 mins and do a series of hand stretches for five minutes: open and close hands, roll hands at the wrists, slowly close fingers joint by joint, gently pull hand back toward arm and then forward toward wrist, etc. It helps so much!!!
Jill, you have to see a physical therapist! The tingling is almost certainly from your shoulder. I fixed mine with pt (with one cortisone shot to get me started). You have to get an MRI so the PT knows exactly what the problem is.
For me it’s intensity. I was knitting with a fury (since 2016) that made my muscles tense up. My hands can’t take that, but I’m desperate to knit, so i don’t knit for long stretches. A few rows, do something else, and then i come back to it. The fury hasn’t abated but the hands are better.
I’ve noticed that my yoga practice (12 years in) – along with a bit of gardening – goes a long, long way in supporting my hand dexterity, arm and upper-back strength and basic muscle conditioning.
Even if it’s 5 to 10 minutes of poses and stretching, just three times a week – it makes a difference.
Whenever I’ve stepped away from my yoga (illness; crazy life schedule; disinterest) … my manual and sedentary activities variously feel more awkward or less fluid.
I was not a “plank” lover until a few years ago, but I built up to it and learned (via lower back injury therapy last year) that incremental strength-flexibity exercises serve my daily movement functions in numerous ways with a knitting bonus.
Those SUBTLE torso yoga twists can prevent a stiff or locked-up neck while I’m knitting.
When able, I employ a one plank-a-day rule.
I look forward to the Semers book.
I agree with everything you’ve written KD. It’s so important to move and stretch every day to maintain some equilibrium with all the activities we put our muscles through. I will add that, if you are having any kind of pain or tingling, PLEASE see your doctor to rule out anything needing medical attention. The key, of course, is prevention, which is what Carson Demer’s book Knitting Comfortably is all about. It’s a fabulous resource and packed with information.
I experienced a personal loss, the death of a good friend.
My only comfort came while knitting. I got my current project, sat in my knitting chair, and I knitted from 8:00 am till 5:00 pm for an entire week. At the end of that week, my thumbs were in total pain, in such a bad shape from pain that I had to go to the Dr. He advised me to STOP knitting immediately. Horrors!
The Dr. said that if I continued knitting, I could give myself an ‘injury’ to the base of my thumbs which could, possibly, result in a need for reconstructive surgery, or – worst case – result in the paralysis of my thumbs.
So – don’t take thumb pain from knitting lightly! Also, PLEASE, if you know of a way to knit without pain let me know! I miss knitting so badly!!!!
Trigger finger (ring finger on right hand) here. I tried resting and passive exercising but after 2 months of no knitting, I went to the hand doctor. The cortisone shot helped tremendously but has worn off after 2 months, so I just got another.
No doubt that knitting has aggravated, if not caused the condition, but it is such a huge part of my life, I can’t imagine giving it up.
I find certain yarns and techniques make my fingers work harder, so I try to switch it up. If this second shot doesn’t work, then I’m looking at surgery.
You have arthritis in those thumb joints. Mine started in my left hand, and anything requiring a pincer movement made it worse. So hand sewing, embroidery, and crochet were out. Try physical therapy first. It can be very helpful, and your PT can give you strategies to help avoid pain. I eventually had surgery on my left thumb to rebuild the joint–very successfully I might add. Before the surgery I learned to knit Portuguese style. It takes a lot of pressure off the hands and requires minimal thumb movement.
Cannot believe how timely this is for me. Just this week I developed a severe pain in my left index finder knuckle after working on a sweater knit flat (I usually knit in the round) and doing a lot of purling. I have now been two days without knitting and in serious withdrawal, although I took the extra time I had to plan two weaving projects – one on my floor loom and one on my inkle loom — to keep me occupied while I rest my hand. And I’ve been trying to get back to spinning after a 25 year hiatus. Would love to know more about the combination knitting you mentioned so I can finish the sweater I was working on.
This article describes my life. Not ready to contemplate no longer knitting, but I’m not knitting at the moment – recently diagnosed with moderate to severe osteoarthritis in both thumbs. It’s icing, heat, Tylenol Arthritis, stretching and acupuncture for me. The comments make me wonder if surgery may eventually be a solution. In the meantime, I attend all my knitting meet-ups without my knitting, because the community I’ve found there transcends the act of knitting. I plan to return to it, slower and less frequently. So many projects, so little time!
I’m a few days late coming to the knitting party, but I’d like to comment just the same. I can’t NOT knit. There would likely be murder in the neighborhood (and I’d either be the culprit or the victim, not sure!). I use Tommie Copper fingerless gloves, and only when I’m symptomatic and only on the hand that’s complaining at the moment. And if I’m having a particularly challenging time, I will add Voltaren to the base of my thumb. The Tommie Copper is something I wouldn’t have believed if a relative hadn’t tried it for a knee and swore by it. After one of the products gave me relief from plantar fascitis that had had traditional treatment and physical therapy, they are definitely things I rely on. Not a cure, just help.
I take breaks and walk around the neighborhood stretching my shoulders, arms, and hands.
The easiest way to buy Carson’s great book is directly from him. Cheaper than Amazon and the impressive volume arrives quickly and in great shape. Covers lots.
If I knit for a long time, I will start feeling it in my shoulder. If I don’t stop, thespian makes me stop. I think all the repetitive things we do type, scroll on the phone, work in an office, etc wear out the joint. I hate that I can’t finish projects faster but it’s better to stop when it starts to hurt than have you down for days.
Thank you for your story… you’re not the only one. I knit through pain trying to fix a knitting mistake before I went to bed. (I should add that I fall into the over 70 age group and have some arthritis). I was sidelined for 4 months. I finally saw a physiotherapist… the muscles at the base of my thumb were as hard as rocks. He administered IMS (tiny needles into the muscles) – hurt like the dickens but after 2 treatments 2 weeks apart, there was improvement. Still not knitting though. Then I saw another physiotherapist, started hand exercises, (as well as self administered arm massages, and hot as you can comfortably stand it arm soaks) and knit for 5 minutes 3x day (yes… only 5 minutes). It was a start. After 2 more weeks, I started gradually increasing to 10 minutes 3x day. Now I can knit 60 min 3x day, on small needles and fingering weight yarn. But it is so easy to think oh, I’m better…. And jump up to 2 hours at a time. Bad idea. Even though there was no pain for those extra hours, I’m paying the price yesterday and today. Let this be a cautionary tale. Listen to your body and your therapist. Thank you for your story Claudia. I’m not the only one! Sorry for your pain.
I have arthritis in my thumb joint but was also diagnosed with trigger thumb which is very painful and causes a licking up of the tendon there. I have injections by my orthopedist about every 6 months which have been very helpful!
I had a long panicked week when I thought I would never knit again. The pain was intense. Despair set in and I too wondered how my identity would change if I couldn’t knit. I attended my two weekly knitting groups (not knitting) and they all reassured me that my life wasn’t over. All of the suggestions you mention were mentioned there. I went home and reread Carson’s book, saw my Osteopath and now l have learned to knit more calmly, even when ripping out. I knit for short intervals, and don’t knit much ribbing or with fingering yarn. I try different needles and different techniques but mostly rest when I need to.
I remembered when I got a divorce I thought my life was over and I couldn’t possibly become a new person. But I did, and as I age, there will more and more of these times. But with care, we can love and accept whoever we are and do what we can.
Good luck to all of us with pain.
I learned to knit continental and that is all I did for years. I had to finally learn to “throw” in order to do stranded colorwork and found my stitches look better if I throw when knitting in the round. When my wrists or fingers start hurting it usually helps if I switch to a project that uses the other technique. Now my husband understand why I always have more than one project going at the same time
When I was twenty and working as an aide in a nursing home, I looked around me to see the aged people who were successful at living a satisfying life. I noted that most found fulfillment in doing for others (including the woman with a sewing machine who sewed for her fellow residents). Nursing homes back then are a far cry from the skilled nursing facilities of today and many of the residents I knew would today be in assisted living or senior living. Nonetheless, as that naive girl I made the following mantra: If I lose my hearing, I’ll read; If I lose my sight, I’ll listen to my beloved baseball games on the radio; and, if I lose my mobility, I’ll knit.
Fast forward fifty years and that naive girl has learned that life (and aging) is much more complicated than I thought. Sparing the details and despite my best efforts (I’m throwing exercise in here) I have back issues, arthritis, etc. I do fear losing the ability to knit as has one of my friends. I don’t fear losing my fiber friends – those bonds are quite strong and enhanced by Zoom. But I do hope to continue to find a way to make a meaningful contribution to others in whatever form it takes.
I loved this article! Several of my knitting friends have had hand surgeries to relieve knitting ailments, and I am currently ignoring pain in both thumbs, which I know is knitting related.
I was fortunate to take a class offered by Carson Demers at this year’s MDK Knitting Getaway at Shakerag. He is extremely engaging, knowledgeable , and a great teacher. After putting our class through a range of hand & wrist exercises, I asked Carson if he would publish them on YouTube. He’s a busy guy, but he promised me he would….eventually!
Frozen shoulder can be a menopause symptom.
I am 61 and was diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome a few years ago. It is definitely triggered by knitting, so I have significantly limited my knitting and found other hobbies. I bought Carson Demers book and tried his recommended techniques, but he is guarded about how much hope there is for those with CTS. I have long been primarily a combination or continental knitter with a preference for the Norwegian purl, though I integrate throwing for some purposes. I have tried other techniques, including Portuguese knitting, but the wrist pain quickly returns with any amount or any style of knitting. I have talked with a surgeon, but I’m hesitant because I know people who did not have great outcomes. I would love to hear about the experiences of others with CTS.
Repetitive use injuries are hard to overcome. After 40 hrs of being an X-ray tech, with the last 13 years in mammography before I retired, has taken a toll on my thumb joints. Having osteoarthritis adds to it.
In all honesty, I’d prob have to be on my death bed to not be able to knit, lol. Realistically tho, I have other hobbies to fall back on like gardening and sewing. But there’s nothing like settling down with yarn and needles in hand to watch your favorite program or movie. It would be difficult to give it up.
Awaiting a date for CTSurgery now. Both hands numb and tingly and it affects everything – knitting, sewing, buttoning, cooking. The braces at night help. Also some trigger fingers on both hands. Hopeful. Still knit for short times. I’ve avoided purchases due to not knowing how this will be in the future. Would probably look at weaving to use up stash.
I have moderate damage to my wrist in the form of tendonitis and some nerve damage and radial tunnel pain. While I know knitting didn’t do it to me (it was selling bridal gowns, of all things) I also know knitting can exacerbate the problem. For me the best prevention is posture exercises! Maintaining good posture has made a world of difference in reducing all of the ‘add-on’ pains from compensation. Believe it or not we can damage our necks, shoulders, elbows, and wrists just from having poor posture hunching over our work. In addition I took the leap and started wearing my reading glasses which greatly helps me maintain posture. A bruise to my pride now in my 30’s may hopefully be a boon in my 70’s! And, of course, in all things moderation. If all I can do in a year is family sweaters then that’s all I’ll do so that I may do it every year.
As for my fears of not knitting… Ask me also about my fears of not breathing. I can’t remember the time before I did it and I don’t suppose it helps me to think of a time after. It’ll happen sometime anyway.
I feel this! I’ve been able to start knitting again for the first time in two months after a tendon reattachment on my non-dominant hand. My OT is working knitting into my home exercises, bless her.
Consider knitting very slowly, loving each stitch. We have enough knitted items, so the end product doesn’t have to drive us.
Claudia, I totally feel your pain. On April 29th of this year, I had rotator cuff surgery and have been on the “injured reserve list” since. I totally tore it which surprised my surgeon and haven’t been able to knit. I’m a little of a beginner but had plans this summer of knitted gifts for the holidays. Thank the yarn goddess that I can crochet!
I also have a thumb issue as I hyperextended my left thumb a few years ago in a fall aided by a cracked a sidewalk. My friends joke it was my “unscheduled trip at the train station”. I’m in pt and working the program so I have hopes of getting a few knitted items done this year. Hang in there!
I am currently following instructions, not to knit due to having had surgery on my left hand. I have had quite a few surgeries on my hands over the years due to rheumatoid arthritis. While I miss my knitting and crocheting, I am using the opportunity to get caught up on previously purchased workshops (mainly Knit Stars). This fall I will have the same surgery on my right hand. I know it’s necessary to minimize reduction of function, but I’m just thankful that I am able to knit and crochet given the state of my hands. I have resolved that if it ever comes to the point that I must give up my craft that I will be able to find something else to fill my time.
This article and all of the comments has encouraged me to DO something about my thumb pain and stop ignoring it. I did get 1 steroid injection which hasn’t done a lot yet. I’m going to find a good PT person, ask lots of questions and see what else I can do. I won’t stop knitting, that’s for sure, but I do take breaks. I’m encouraged that there are possibilities for healing and less pain.
Knitting is my relaxation but I try to remember to squeeze a stress ball from time to time & stretch my fingers. I’ve been knitting for 40+ yrs. The only time I have a problem is if I try to knit for too many hours w/o a break.