The very thing that makes knitting so appealing to many of us ... the rhythmic, fluid,
repeating, meditative movement ... is exactly what causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for
many of us.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other Repetitive Stress Syndromes are the combinations
of pains, numbness, tingling, and aches that we often get from repeating the same
motions over and over again. Hand injury, arm injury, tendonitis, trigger finger, and other
ailments may also occur. Many knitters develop these painful and debilitating conditions.
There are ways to deal with your discomfort, the first step being to become aware
of the way your body reacts. It is also extremely important not to ignore the symptoms:
your body is trying to tell you something. Pain is protective in that it alerts you to the fact
that something is amiss. The first step is awareness.
There are specific things you can do proactively to protect yourself from developing Repetitive Stress Syndrome or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as a result of your knitting. When you are knitting, be sure to follow the guidelines listed here.
If your hands, arms, fingers, or wrists are already hurting, please check back next
week for some suggested exercises that may help relieve your pain and improve your
symptoms. These are exercises that foster healthy hands, arms, and shoulders, and
hopefully will keep you out of physical therapy!
Please check back every week for more helpful
Knitting Tips from the Guru.