This weekend, I am on a self-imposed rest from my knitting and crochet projects. I really want to work on them, but my arms and hands have been feeling a bit on the icky side lately. While I rest, it seemed a good time to explore ways we as knitters and crocheters can practice self-care to keep our maker limbs healthy.
**I am not a licensed medical practitioner, so these suggestions are to be taken at your own discretion. Listen to your body and don't do anything that feels off! See your doctor if your pain persists for proper diagnosis!**
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Break often.
Breaks can be difficult, especially when you've found a groove with what you're doing. But putting in breaks while working are necessary to check in with yourself and take a quick breather from those repetitive motions. I read online to break every twenty minutes to half-hour for about 5-10 minutes to stretch and move around. Use this time to grab a fresh cup of coffee or water. Stretch out your back and hands. Readjust your project space. Get your body moving for a bit before settling down again.
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Stretch.
Make sure to start your crafting session with a nice stretch! We used to do full body, hand, and wrist stretches at a factory I worked at. We stretched before work, then at lunch, and were encouraged to keep doing exercises at our stations if we felt like it. I took some of the stretches to memory and will perform them when things start to get painful.
Thankfully, the stretches they showed us are pretty generic when searching for moves to do online. Knitty Natty has a stretch and massage video on her favorite stretches here. There's another great video by The Knit Yorker for hand and wrist pain here! She talks about making a schedule for your knit and crochet, which I think is a great idea!
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Ice and/or Heat.
When your arms or hands are feeling extra achy, try icing them. It'll reduce swelling and help with pain. Ice for 15 minutes, then take it off for 45 minutes. Keep a towel or other material between your skin and the ice pack to prevent frostbite. Repeat as needed.
If ice isn't helping as much as you'd hoped, try heat instead. I find heat therapy to be most beneficial to my needs. While ice reduces swelling, heat actually increases blood flow to the area. According to London Health Sciences Centre, "The inflammatory response increases the amount of blood flow to the site of injury to get more nutrients and white blood cells to an area in need" (source). That's what causes an area to swell. Heat will get that helpful blood to the area you're treating. Try switching between ice and heat therapy to see which helps the best for what you're experiencing.
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Massages.
We may not have a companion who can give us massages whenever we want, but that shouldn't stop us from trying self-massage techniques! There are many videos and articles targeted toward makers for beneficial massages and stretches we can perform on ourselves. See Knitty Natty's video here for some lacrosse ball/stress ball hand massage moves. A massage gun is another great option if you're hands aren't up for it!
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Rest.
I know it's not fun to step away from your projects, but resting is sometimes the best medicine when things don't feel great. It's better to take a day to a few days off giving extra care to yourself than risking more injury. Your projects will wait!
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Bonus Self-Care
Manicures.
Having a weekly nail care routine has been wonderful for me. I usually sit down in the evening to push back my cuticles, trim and shape my nails, then apply a neutral polish (usually a clear or nude shade). It has improved the overall look of my hands, and it feels good to take the time to treat them for all the work they do for me.
Moisturize.
Like manicures, keeping up with moisturizer is a game-changer to your maker health. Dry, cracked skin is itchy and uncomfortable, and yarn rubbing against it hurts. Sometimes we can't help it with the weather or our primary jobs (yay, winter skin!). Take some time to find a nice hand moisturizer that you enjoy to use daily. Keep a moisturizer in your project bag. I have a fast-absorbing, lightweight lotion in mine to use before and during my sessions. Use this time to massage your hands, too! Moisturized hands are happy hands.
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How do you keep your arms, wrists, and hands healthy as a maker? Chime off in the comments below!
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