Even with crochet, we run the risk of injury due to the repetitive movements. Ergonomics is not just for corporate office cubicles anymore. We, crocheters, need some help in that area as well.

Repetitive Stress Injuries are happening more and more with crocheters and other crafty folks all over the country, including carpel tunnel issues. Many times, we associate these issues with typing on a keyboard all day, but these conditions can occur under a variety of circumstances.

But the question is – how do we improve this condition and others associated with repetitive movements?

Here are a few things to consider:

Ergonomic Crochet Hooks – these are great. I am hearing about them more and more in crochet magazines and online. The handles have a comfortable hold as you crochet, so you do not feel like you are working too hard to loop, yarn over, etc. The main areas of interests are the fingers, hands, and wrists, so the ergonomic crochet hooks can assist with these areas. A couple of good brands to look for are Clover Soft Touch and Clover Reflections.

Hand and Wrists Exercises – if you recall, I wrote a previous post on hand and wrists exercises for crocheters. This is an important step, which is why it bears repeating. Check out the link for detailed instructions on exercising your hands and wrists: Easy Exercises for Crocheters

Taking Breaks – this is very important. Now, come on, be honest, when you get into a fun project or a time crunch situation such as birthday or holiday coming up soon, you become so focused that before you know it, you have spent over an hour or so on a project without stopping. If you find that you are having Repetitive Stress issues and/or Carpel Tunnel issues, you should consider taking several breaks while working on a project over an extended period in one sitting.

Posture – this is something I have noticed in my own crochet experiences. I have been paying more attention to how I am sitting in my chair or in bed while crocheting. What does this have to do with your hands and wrists? How we turn and twist our bodies in one way can affect us in another way. Particularly, we can create back, neck, and shoulder issues by how we sit while crocheting. This is not something I have heard a lot about in the craft community, but it is a fact. So, sit up straight keeping your neck and head aligned with your spine as you crochet. It makes a huge difference.

While we enjoy our crochet projects, we have to take the time to pay attention to our bodies. We do not want something we love to become our worst enemy, so it is imperative to take the necessary steps for prevention and care.

Do you have any suggestions for easing repetitive stress injury? Do you have a story to share concerning this issue? If so, please leave your comments below. We’d love to hear from you.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 29th, 2012 at 8:46 AM by Tameko Barnette and is filed under Tutorials and Help. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.