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How to Relieve Knitting Hand Pain With One Simple Trick

How to Cure Knitting Hand Pain

Stretch Your Forearms and Fix Your Tension for Instant Relief

How to Get Relief From Knitting Hand Pain

You want relief from knitting hand pain. Knitting too much has made your hands sore and swollen.

The doctors tell you to rest and wear a brace but you can’t wait to start knitting again. You shouldn’t have to live with knitting hand pain!

I know what it’s like to knit for hours and wake up with hands so sore you can barely move them.

These exercises, taught to me by certified massage therapist and myofascial release specialist Kate Howe, have already helped hundreds of knitters feel instant relief (just check out the comments!).

But first…

The Get-Instant-Relief Plan

  1. Watch our myofascial forearm stretch video below
  2. Do the stretch for 60 seconds
  3. Feel instant relief

You can do these stretches every day to get instant relief!

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Learn the Myofascial Forearm Stretch

Tips for Success - Myofascial Stretches

Grasp, “Lock,” and Push To Stretch Muscle Fascia Correctly

  • Make sure you don’t have on any hand lotion that might make your arm slippery.
  • Unlike most massage techniques, you want the skin to “grab,” not slide.

Grasp your left forearm with your right hand. Squeeze just tight enough to prevent your skin from slipping, and push down towards your wrist.

Note: If your right hand is too sore or weak to get a good grip, you can stabilize your left forearm between your legs (still hold onto the fascia with your right hand) and pull your left arm towards you.

Myofascial stretch for hand stiffness - 1
“Lock” the fascia and push towards the wrist

Maintaining your hand grip, now push your hand towards your elbow. Your skin (and fascia) will move, about an inch. That’s how much room your fascia have.

That’s what we want to expand.

Perform These 5 Fascia Stretches to Relieve Knitting Pain

1) Forearm Stretch. Work down your forearm (just a few places will do), holding each stretch for 90 seconds. I like to do this while standing in front of the microwave, waiting for my tea to heat up.

 

Myofascial stretch for forearm and hand stiffness
After 90 seconds, you will feel that the fascia have relaxed and stretched. Move your grip down your forearm and repeat.

2) Wrist Stretch. Make sure to keep your elbow straight (this is like keeping your knees straight for a hamstring stretch).

 

Myofascial stretch for knitting pain and wrist soreness.
Do not overstretch the wrist by applying too much pressure. Easy does it.

3) Milk the Fingers. Grasp, lock, and push down each finger, stretching the fasciae.

 

Myofascial stretch for finger pain from knitting
Work your way down each finger, stretching for 90 seconds. Check your manicure.

4) Stretch the Thumb and Hand. This one feels sooo good.

 

Myofascial stretch for thumb and palm to relieve knitting pain.
The tops of the arms face each other as you grasp and stretch each thumb.

5) Stretch Your Pinky.

 

Myofascial stretch for hand soreness from knitting - pinkie stretch
Be gentle on your pinkie and keep that elbow straight.

You can do one whole arm then repeat, or alternate each step.

Either way, your hands are going to instantly feel better.

To Save Time Just Do Stretch #1

  • If you don’t have much time, just do the myofascial stretches on your forearms from step 1. These alone will provide very fast relief.
  • Do these stretches in the bathroom, in front of the microwave, or waiting in line at the grocery store.

I’ve been using these stretches all week, and I love them! Leave a note in the comments if you find anything that has worked for you.

Photographs were taken with the assistance and direction of Kate Howe. Kate is a certified massage therapist based in Aspen, CO. Find her at katehowe.com.

If you liked this tutorial on how to get relief for sore hands, post in the comments!

How Tight Muscle Fasciae Prevent Joints From Healing

Kate explained to me that muscle fascia is the “bag” of dense connective tissue that surrounds your muscles and joints, kind of like plastic wrap.

An example of fascia
Fascia surround every muscle in the body

Fasciae are made of collagen and are connective in nature, like tendons and ligaments, except that fasciae connect muscles to other muscles.

If the fasciae are tight around your muscles, all the stretching or massage in the world can only provide limited relief, because the muscles don’t have room to move.

The good thing is there is an easy way to fix this, and it works, feels good (after you’re done), you can do it by yourself, and it doesn’t take very long.

Just do a series of fascia stretches on yourself. This is called myofascial release, and it’s a form of massage therapy developed in the 1920’s.

After you stretch your forearm fasciae, you can stretch the muscles of the wrist, hands, and fingers and experience a lot of relief from knitting pain next time you go to knit.

Fix the Problems That Cause Hand Pain

If you want to achieve

  • Relief from hand pain
  • Be able to knit for hours without pain
  • Cure for carpal tunnel and RSI
  • Enjoying knitting again

And ultimately avoid

  • Sore hands, wrists, and fingers
  • Frustration at not being able to knit
  • Wishing there was something you could do
  • Having to take time off knitting to cure hand problems

…You need to fix bad tension habits that are causing you to tense up, work too hard, and knit too tight.

To go from sore and in pain to feeling instant relief, here’s the plan:

  1. Watch our tension tips for hand pain video
  2. Apply our fixes to correct bad tension in your knitting
  3. Knit for hours without pain

Doctors tell you to rest and wear a brace, but that won’t fix the root cause of your knitting difficulties. Fix your knitting tension with the video below to stop the cause of knitting hand pain in its tracks.

Video: How to Fix Your Knitting Tension and Prevent Hand Pain

5 Easy Ways to Knit With Less Effort & Pain

Here are some ways to be less tense when you knit:

  1. Make sure that you are tensioning the yarn in your fingers (instead of just pinching it and letting it drop and picking it back up)
  2. Don’t think about trying to knit fast. Enjoy your stitches.
  3. Don’t think about how far you’ve gotten on your sweater. You’ll make the most progress when you forget that there’s progress to be made.
  4. Make sure you push each newly created stitch all the way down onto the barrel of the right-hand needle. Don’t leave it on the tapered part. This will ensure that the stitch is the right size, not too tight, and you won’t have to work hard to knit into it on the next row.
  5. Use the highest-quality needles that are within your budget. Lantern Moons are wonderful wooden needles and Signature Needle Arts needles are my favorite metal needles. Addi Turbos are my favorite circular needles. Any high-quality needle will let your stitches slide better and you won’t have to work hard to move them and knit into them.

Learn To Knit With Perfect Tension at Knitting Superstar University

Trying to learn and master knitting on your own can be frustrating. Even after watching many YouTube videos, your stitches seem uneven and you can’t figure out why. At Knitting Superstar University, we teach you to knit with perfect tension whether you prefer American or Continental style knitting so that you can feel proud of each stitch. Get instant access today.

Frequent Questions - Knitting Hand Pain

1. Why do my hands hurt when I knit?

Knitting pain can occur when you knit for longer than you are used to, even if your technique is error-free. If you knit for hours straight without taking a break, your muscles will get tired and sore. This is normal and the stretches above will help a lot. You can take a five-minute break every 40 minutes to stretch your hands, stretch your legs, and make a cup of tea.

Sore hands can also happen if your knitting technique is not correct. If you grip the needles and yarn too tight, your muscles will get tired faster. Gripping the yarn too tight leads to tight stitches, which are hard to knit into and cause you to hold everything even tighter to try to knit into the tight stitches. The solution is to find a way of tensioning the yarn that feels comfortable to you where you feel that you are in control of the flow of the yarn. It should be easy for you to stop and start the flow of yarn through your fingers. The tension tips video above will help you do this.

2. Why do my fingers hurt when I knit?

If you are using sharp needles like Knit Picks Harmony needles or Addi Lace needles and you use your fingertip to push the end of the needle as you advance your stitches, you can become sensitive on the tip of your finger. Loosening the tension of your stitches can help with this. Let the yarn flow through your fingers at every stage of the stitch-creation. Those stitches need yarn in order to form. Push each completed stitch all the way to the body of the right-hand needle, and make sure it can slide on the needle.

Sometimes we are trying to achieve a gauge that is tighter than what we can easily get because we don’t have small enough needles at hand, and we think that if we knit tighter than normal, we can get gauge. This is an error because as soon as you start to relax (which is kind of the whole point of knitting), your gauge starts to relax too and your project gauge will change. And even if you do manage to knit tight on purpose, this causes added stress to your hands and fingers. So get the right size needles and spare your fingertips.

If you are holding the working yarn in a way that feels awkward, your finger muscles will definitely get tired. You can try many adjustments to your grip to find one that is more comfortable. Some knitters have noted that if you rotate your hands away from you it is more comfortable than when you hold your knitting vertically and are looking straight down at the needles.

3. Can knitting cause carpal tunnel?

Sadly, yes. Knitting with a grip or position that irritates the nerves in your wrists can cause or aggravate carpal tunnel. Switching to Continental or Portuguese knitting can possibly relieve the irritation.

4. Can knitting cause RSI (repetitive stress injury)?

Yes, repeating movements many thousands of times can definitely cause a repetitive stress injury. This is compounded if you do not take breaks every 40 minutes or do any hand stretches. If you feel effort or pain while knitting, it is time to reassess your hand positioning, yarn tension, and stitch technique BEFORE the pain turns into a repetitive stress injury. Review the tension tips video above and make sure to evaluate whether you are committing any of the common tension mistakes demonstrated.

5. Can I knit even though I have arthritis?

If you have arthritis in your knuckles, you may have to get creative with how you tension your yarn. If you cannot knit with the yarn woven under-over-under-over your fingers, you can wrap the yarn twice around your pinky finger or your whole palm. Many knitters report that Portuguese knitting eliminates their tension difficulties and enables them to knit pain-free, even with arthritis. The myofascial forearm stretch video above will help relieve pain, even if you are not a knitter.

6. Are the benefits of knitting worth the risk of hurting my hands?

Trick question. While knitting confers innumerable mental health benefits, nothing is worth risking the health of your body and causing injuries that may become chronic and take away your enjoyment of life. The good news is if you learn to knit with correct tension, you will not risk your physical health. Knitting doesn’t have to be a trade-off and it doesn’t have to hurt. So many knitters commit the common tension errors I show in my tension tips video that it’s worth your time to watch the video and make sure you aren’t accidentally committing one or more of these incredibly-common mistakes.

You deserve to knit without pain and you can do it if you pay attention to what’s difficult, awkward, or uncomfortable and get creative in finding ways to change how you knit. Just don’t ignore the pain and power through, hoping it will go away by itself!

Did This Post Help? Leave a Comment

Did you try these stretches? Did they help you? I’d love to know. Please leave a comment and share your experience. Thank you!

192 thoughts on “How to Relieve Knitting Hand Pain With One Simple Trick”

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  1. Thankyou so much for the stretchinstructions. I am a novice knitter, knitting my first sweater. l’m 66, and woke upthis morning with a stiff and painful right wrist. Your arem and hand stretches worked wionders. I have learned continental style knitting, but may have a look at portuguese stule to see if that is better. Thanks again. I feel lucky to have stumbled across your blog today.

  2. Hi Liat, thanks so much for always pouring into us, who have been so lucky to have found your instruction! I recently retired and have picked up some knitting needles to learn and knowing that I can get good help is so exciting! I have tried to learn on my own for years, off and on but usually get to a certain point and give up. I am glad to have you as a resource and I am looking forward to seeing what you post!-Here is my 10 vote!

    1. Hi Jody,
      Thank you for this wonderful comment! Yes, you have come to the right place to learn knitting with a great foundation that will serve you in every project. I am excited to support you in your journey!
      Cheers,
      Liat

  3. My right hand middle finger has recently started to lock and pain in the palm of my hand. I am old though! But knitting (English Knitting) has become uncomfortable to say the least.

    Anyway, my finger still locks a bit but doing these exercises has brought me a lot of pain relief. I will continue to do these exercises and keep knitting. Brilliant, thank you! May be try a different style of knitting too..

    1. Hi Julia,
      Thanks for your comment and I’m sorry for the months-long delay in replying. I’m so glad these exercises helped! I am continuing to investigate pain-free ways to knit and will be posting anything I discover in the coming months, so stay tuned!
      Cheers,
      Liat

  4. Thanks a million, for help and advice, been in a lot of pain with knitting and nearly 80 yrs old it is so helpful for my mental state to keep knitting. Will try to practice all these tips. Many thanks again.

  5. Phyllis Forrest

    This gave me Instant pain relief!
    Thank you so much. I’m going to try to learn to knit continental style ( left handed) now.

  6. Hi Liat,
    As always you have done a great job showing and explaining. So wonderfully clear. I do have a suggestion that I hope won’t take away from how marvelous your instructions always are.
    I am of the old school that doesn’t appreciate all things being only on the computer. I need the hard copy. I have lived through too many updates where valuable info was lost never to be found! Screaming is the only recourse! While the line spacing makes for easy reading, it is awful for printed copy. It seems to me that in the classes, you do included a link to straight printed, now that I think about it. Hummmm. I better look again. Speed reading may have gotten me in trouble again!? I looked. It’s the line spacing that would make for so many pages of printout. I’m sure you have your reasons for that so I will just cope and love all you do!
    From one of your Happy Knitters!
    Janeen

  7. THANK YOU for all this great advice and guidance, with VIDEOS! Soooo helpful. I didn’t know about moving the fascia in both directions 👍

  8. Thank-you Liat. I found this very helpful😊
    I am hoping you will show the same techniques with English knitters❤️

    1. Skye Jameson - Knitting Expert

      Hi Katherine,
      I’m so glad you wrote in. This video does include tricks for curing hand pain for American style too! It starts at minute 3:02 in the video. Now you can jump right to it
      Happy Knitting!

  9. Liat, Thanks so much for the hand exercise tips! I’ve never experienced hand pain when knitting, but my husband (79 y/o) has had wrist pain from holding his iPad awkwardly for several days in order to cater to an elderly/ill cat insisting on being on his lap quite a bit, and has had to resort to wearing a wrist brace for the discomfort. After watching the video, I’d had him try the exercises and that really helped him.

    I’d knit voraciously for decades, but always enjoyed your newsletters and still do, even though I’m no longer knitting much or very often anymore. I’ve become inundated with knits of every description, and have already swamped virtually every family and friend with knits too, even though the majority of them live in tropical climates. I still knit whenever I spot an irresistible pattern for something I like (the last being an Icelandic sweater I just had to have!), but mainly enjoy your newsletters rather than knitting these days. It’s always nice to know that you are doing well and to share in the happy moments and events you share with your readers! Thanks, again, for the exercises!!!

    1. Hi Wynn, thank you so much for posting here! It makes me so happy to know that these stretches helped – I really love that you had your husband try them. It’s a testament to the fact that they help for all kinds of wrist pain, not just from knitting. I know other readers will benefit from you sharing this.

      I love hearing your story of being swamped with knits. I know what you mean as I now live in sunny Mexico and am hard-pressed to find any knits I “need” to have. Felted slippers last year was pretty much all I could think of! I appreciate your kind words about my newsletter. I’m putting more effort into publishing regularly and it makes me feel great that you’re on the other end and enjoying what I share. Big hugs to you and thanks so much for connecting here!

      Liat

  10. Thank you very much for your effective stretching exercises! I cannot tell you how much they are helping my extremely sore thumb!

  11. I wish there was a video of these stretches. Some of the moves were unclear to me, and I’m not sure if I was doing them right. For instance, what does “push your hand toward your elbow” mean? Bend your hand backward? Forward? Slide your arm backward toward the elbow?

  12. I’m wondering if gripping and pulling, versus gripping and pushing, would work as well. I find it much easier, and my back and shoulders don’t tense up as much, to grip and pull. Any thoughts?

  13. I also stumbled on this from Pinterest and immediately posted/shared the link to the tatting group I follow on FB. I am also a massage therapist – this is so well presented – ticks all the boxes…hope it was ok to share – I should have asked first!! I was thinking of doing a ‘look after your hands’ type post – but this is perfect – for all crafters. Thankyou so much :-)

  14. Thanks for your advice re this issue. I am knitting a mitred square blanket and was about two-thirds done when I started experiencing intense cramping in my thumbs, etc. I really thought this would put an end to my knitting and was very disappointed. Luckily I came onto your post and started doing the forearm stretches. Amazingly I had almost immediate relief. Thanks again. I will continue to follow this and the additional advice you have provided. Highly recommended!!

  15. Thanks you sooo much, Liat! My forearm was so stiff from knitting I though I was going to have to take a day off from it. And I’m not even close to finishing my son’s sweater. But with your stretches my right is now limber, loose, and back in knitting game. And in under 5 in minutes!

  16. Just found this page while searching for info on helping swollen fingers from knitting. My right index knuckle is impressively swollen (but not sore or tender) at present after a big knitting project, and I’m having visions of arthritis coming to get me. D: Like others above, I didn’t do the ninety seconds (probably closer to nineteen) but the stretches do feel very good. Thank you, bookmarked!

  17. Thank you these are just what I need. I knit constantly and have been for 30 years. I suffer from it daily. The arm stretch feels wonderful. My elbow hurts the worst and I use a cuff when I knit now to minimize the pain. Do you have a stretch for the elbow? I fear I may have to give up knitting and just when I was about to start sewing classes. Any advise would be appreciated.

    1. Hi Partrice, I heard back from Kate Howe, and this is what she said:

      “Elbow stretch seems unlikely… She probably has a tendinitis. :(

      I’d recommend hot and cold contrast baths and find a physical therapist who can apply KT Tape.

      Without seeing her elbow it’s hard to know, but elbows historically are not aided by stretching, as the problem is most likely in the joint capsule.”

      Even though it’s not what you were hoping for I hope that this advice does lead to some relief. I trust her advice completely, as she’s helped me, my family members, and many clients recover from pain and injury.

      Hugs,
      Liat

  18. These have been a life saver for me as I knit and crochet all the time. A lady shared them in our knitting group and I’ve shared them on. Thank you so much x

  19. After a few hours of teaching myself how to crochet, my hands were quite stiff. After doing these excercise I felt instant relief! Thanks so much for posting this!! :D

  20. About a month ago I cut my shrubs with hedge trimmers. I did it continuously for twoo days. When I was finished, my pinky finger was numb up the side to the top & third finger tip was numb. My doctor gave me a prescription for prednisone but it didn’t help.
    Do you think these exercises would do the trick?

  21. Oh my! Relief for the first time in months! I just did these stretches and my thumb has no pain! Amazing! I am doing these everyday and hopefully I can cancel my appointment for cortisone shot!

  22. These stretches help tremendously. I have recommended them to many friends. Thanks so much for posting this!

  23. Is this also okay to do if the pain is more around your elbow? (I have tight muscles there). How many times a day is it okay to do it?

    1. El Edwards - Customer Happiness

      Good question Amethyst. These are aimed more at giving relief to sore hands but one of our readers experienced relief in their elbow too so it sounds like it might help.

      As for how many times a day, if you’re new to stretching I’d recommend you start slow and gentle and see how you go from there.

  24. You have just saved my life! My arm has been sore for days, but when it gets to the point that you can’t comfortably lift the coffee cup, something must be done! Dr. Google brought me here – instant relief, hooray! I will incorporate these into my life starting now.

  25. Just came across this post today while searching for wrist relief. Thank you for the detailed and well described exercises. Hoping these help as I begin gearing up for another round of Christmas knitting. Love all of your posts and videos.

    Thank You!
    Linda

    1. Hi Kathy,

      Great question! I will ask her. Before I do, will you be more specific as to what your are trying to relieve with shoulder stretches? That will help me when I ask her.

      In the meantime, one amazing pain-relief tool that I have been recommending a lot lately is Esther Gokhale’s (pronounced Go-Clay) book 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back. I’ve personally benefitted from it a LOT.

      I am actually going to be recording a video with her on Monday about Back Pain Relief for Knitters which I will be posting on the blog within the next couple months. I’ll see if I can get you an early copy before the blog post comes out.

  26. Oh my goodness!! Worked on left arm first (non-dominant hand) first stretch was amazed at how tight the fascia felt (always thought it was muscle ache) so much relief. Did them all and have decided this is first step before not only knitting/crocheting but I also do wood working. Have had carpal tunnel and “trigger” finger surgery and was ready to schedule on the left wrist/arm but think this may be the non-surgical relief I needed. THANK YOU for sharing as I cannot afford massage therapy nor a chiropractor and my insurance does not cover either.

    1. Hi Debi,

      Thank you for sharing this with me! I am delighted that you found so much relief and amazed that this may even help you prevent surgery.

      I will be coming out with a blog post in a few months that will address any back pain you may have, as well.

  27. I just started crocheting 7 months ago, got addicted and havent stopped but recently started getting bad pain where my pinky meets my hand between my ring finger so the pinky stretch was immediate relief. i think i have slight arthritis in my thumb joint so that stretch almost made me wet myself with pain haha. The forearm stretch just made it itchy for some reason but the pinky was really bothering me so that stretch really did the trick thanks so much!! have any ideas for lower back pain?

    1. Hi Karen,

      Yes! I’ll be coming out with a “Tips For Knitters With Back Pain” post in the next few months, with a guest video by my back pain guru, Esther Gokhale.

      For now, check out her site and book.

  28. Just tried these stretches and they worked and I felt immediate relief in my elbow/wrists and fingers. Haven’t actually knitted for a while due to pain from arthritis and will give these exercises a go for a while before I pick up the needles again.

  29. I was feeling so distressed with the pain, and this worked so well it makes me cry. I felt better right after the first stretch. Thank you a million!

    1. Raven you’re so welcome! I know what you mean about crying from finally feeling some relief from pain. I’m so glad you found this post and tried these stretches!

  30. There is a little known DVD called “Yoga for Knitters and Sitters” that is well worth finding. Good for those unfamiliar with yoga , incorporating and demonstrating other simple stretches that are very helpful for shoulders, neck, low back, etc.

  31. Thank you so much for these stretches. I am a knitter with fibromyalgia, and I always have pain down the outer side of my hand to my little finger. I just tried these, and it’s gone! Between knitting and computer/tablet use, my hands get a rough ride, as I can’t do much else, but this is amazing. I just wish I could find the same thing for my feet (Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis), and my back etc. I get a band of pain round my ribs, from my back and round the sides that nothing seems to shift. I wish I could go to Kate’s practice, but I am in the UK.

    Thank you anyway for this, which I found on Pinterest, as it will help loads. I’ve repinned it, so it will help other knitters too :-)

    1. Hi Lynne,

      I’m just delighted that these stretches have helped you! I used them just the other day again for myself because playing guitar so much had made my left hand sore. They worked like a charm!

      I wanted to tell you that if you are looking for someone to work on you like this, on your feed and hands and ribs that are hurting you, I would look for “Rolfing” near where you live. It has a funny name (named after inventor Ida Rolf) but it is exactly this: myofascial work. And it feels wonderful! I have done a series of 10 sessions and I highly recommend it.

  32. Thanks so much for these stretches, I just did stretch one, and it felt goooood! Especially on my left arm.

    I also do stretches that the chiropractor taught me for easing around my collarbones and they have reduced so much pain in my shoulders, neck and head. I was getting daily headaches before that and my neck totally ceased up! She taught me to stand by the doorframe, put my arm in an L shape, with the lower part of the L being between my shoulder and elbow in line with the shoulder, having your elbow and upper arm against the door frame, and then take a step through the door for 30 seconds, then step back, slide your arm up so the elbow is in line with your ear, and take a step through the door for 30 seconds. They are so good, and have saved me so much pain! I get relief from any headache that is brewing within seconds of doing those stretches.

    Hope that might help some too.

    I’m going to try the rest of these stretches on my hands now!

  33. I crochet for Warm Up America. Our leader sent these exercises on to everyone in the group. I am also an author and spend a lot of time on the keyboard working on my website (www.boldlybaldwomen.com) or preparing for articles/speaches. I must tell you how much these exercises are helping with sore hands and stiff fingers and arm muscles. Thank you so much for sharing the exercises. I’ll be passing them on to my writing buddies!

  34. I am 72 years old and do not knit. At my physical exam last week I told the doctor that my fingers on my left hand were locking In a closed position more frequently but did not stay locked. It is painful but once unlocked they are okay. She asked if I wanted to have injections or surgery, if it had reached that stage. I told her no. This morning the middle finger on my left hand was locked in a closed position and would not extend. I just could not open it. As I was debating whether.to go to same day care I googled my situation and your site came up! I did stretch the muscles on my arm first fingers and thumb, leaving the one that had locked for last. As I was stretching it there was a loud pop and it straightened! Thank you, thank you. I intend to use these stretches regularly. My doctor told me it happens when people have arthritis. It even feels better than it has for months. I read some of the other posts and was reminded that several years ago my husband had a customer in his photography store who was a surgeon specializing in hand surgery. He used to bring surgery pictures in to be developed. He told my husband not to ever let anyone do surgery on his hands and that he would not recommend it and that it generally created more problems than it solved! Again thank you!

  35. Thank you for these stretches, I’ve had a sore left hand since a dogbite and this really helps. I recently fell and fractured my right radius, using my left hand to keep the right healing overworked the left. Thank you and your sister.

  36. I have very painful joints due to crocheting for long periods of time, i just came across this by accident and i am so pleased i did already they are feeling less sore thank you

  37. These exercises are very helpful. As somewhat of a knitter and a reflexologist my hands are stressed all the time. These are just the type of exercises that help me get through the day.
    Thank you

  38. I went to a Chiropractor and he showed me how to do these stretches! Thank you for posting…ppl pay a lot of money to have unnecessary surgeries when they could relieve some pain themselves.

  39. I tried the stretches tonight and even my wrists feel better. One of my three (*sigh*) jobs is as a transcriptionist for a neuro-ophthalmologist, so I type. A lot. I also knit and crochet like a fiend when I get home (it’s my relaxation). I think these stretches will help not only my hands when knitting or crocheting but also help my fingers stop cramping when I type. I’m definitely going to do them before starting work. Thank you for the tips!

  40. I have pain in my left hand at the base of my thumb, towards my wrist. Does any one have any suggestions on how to releave? I can only knit for about 10mins a day without pain. Thanks

  41. fantastic stretches, but my question is should I do these. I am a double mastectomy and I have had one flare up of lymphedema in the left arm. I have been told not to have blood pressures or blood draws from either arm. will I cause problems with the lymphedema if I do these stretches. it is amazing the relief I felt with the joints of that left arm. but am afraid I will do further damage and end up with reoccurrence of lymphedema. this has also helped with the tightness of the area of my left arm pit and ribs on my left side..

  42. The best way I have found from getting arm and hand pain is to give yourself time; start early. If you are the person that gives homemade gifts plan out a schedule and work alittle when ever you have free time. For example if you know you are going to give homemade gifts; start immediately after new years or even Christmas for next year’s gifts. That way you are not stuck knitting or crocheting like a maniac a week before Christmas. I have MS and Osteo-Arthritis and have had to learn the fine art of pacing and this has helped even with my crocheting. Crochet for 30 mins, do the washing up for 20 mins, have a cup of tea, crochet for 30 mins, start dinner, crochet while waiting for the potatoes in the oven, and so on. Waiting for a friend for a coffee date, get there 10-15 minutes early to give you some “Me” time and knit or crochet.
    I hope this helps some of you not only with your knitting or crocheting but to realize it is ok to take some time for yourself.

  43. I can’t wait to try these stretches for my knitting pain, though it is much better since I started doing some weight training. My son also has pain from computer keyboard and guitar playing, so I’m sending the link to him as well.
    One question — On the first and most important arm stretch, are we pulling down towards the wrist while working down the arm, or going both ways as shown in the first instructions?

    Thank you!

  44. Thank you for giving me something new to try after an afternoon of crochet (or even painting)!

    I’m wondering if I should be doing anything differently since I’ve had surgery for both carpal and cubital tunnel, which I didn’t even know existed until I was dealing with it myself.

    The short explanation is that I’ve had carpal tunnel surgery, and I don’t have a funny bone on that arm anymore. The nerve has been moved to the inside of my elbow instead. Any chance there’s something I should be careful of while I’m doing these stretches?

  45. Thanks for these, Liat. I am pretty good about stretching my arms/hands every day after knitting and when I wake up, but you’ve just given me some new ones to add to the the rota!

  46. Hello, I have stiffness and pain above my left elbow (in the area where the doc would inject) and I’m unable to put my up very far up my back. Is there an exercise to relieve this pain or do you think it could be due to something else other than knitting? Thank you.

  47. Many thank you’s for this wonderful article!

    What is the maximum time one should knit before taking a stretch break? Especially for those of us who need to just knit a few more rows, even though they are starting to feel pain

    Thanks!

  48. Thank you so much for posting these stretches. I’ve been knitting even more than usual lately, and for the last few days I’ve had a debilitating pain in a few of my fingers on my left hand. It was to the point where I couldn’t type or grasp things at all. Your post came up on a google search and I felt immediate relief after the first stretch. I wish I had known about them sooner!

  49. A couple years ago, I had completely lost my grip in my left hand and massage therapy worked wonders for me. I was looking at nerve testing but after my massage therapist sister worked on knots in my shoulder and neck I regained all use of my hands. Not only do I knit and crochet, I work 48 to 60 hour weeks in production lab. Busy busy hands.
    I knitted all day Saturday, and I’ve been feeling the strain. All I have to say is that these fascial massage and stretch techniques are great, I’m going to share them with my co workers! And of course my knitting buddies. Thanks for the great tips!

  50. Gretchen Wallett

    Wow! Thank you. I just started work as a seamstress. Eight hours a day of sewing. My hands have been like rocks. These exercises gave me immediate relief.

  51. too much crochet, my elbow, lowerarm and upperarm hurt a lot, so have to keep off the needle and yarn for a couple of days. but the pain will return after a few days of work. i just did the stretches, and feel allready relief! thanks so much, will send your instructions to some friends !

  52. I add my thanks for the whole stretch ideas. My left thumb aches from croc/knitting voraciously. Also my right hand middle finger. In desperation I searched for ‘aching hand/fingers relief and Priase God” I found your site. Immediate relief!! Now it will become a daily routine for me. Now I can continue my lifelong love of Knitting/Crocheting. You’re a blessing.

  53. I broke two fingers and did some tendon damage on my right hand two years ago. Knitting actually has helped to reduce pain, however I have not had full return of my grip since. My ring finger has not been able to totally straighten out in the two years. With doing these stretches the past three days my finger is extending more and more in line with the rest of the fingers on my hand. My middle finger didn’t have a break but did have some tendon issues. The pain is really reduced and have more flexibility now. I still am unable to make a full fist I can bring my fingers closer to my palm (without having to use my left hand pressing on the bent figers) than I have been able to since the fall that resulted in the fractures.

  54. Antoinette Swett

    I have had serve hamd pain for the last two years du tons MS condition. I just tried these, could feel a difference already. I have same issues with my legs and feet. I slowly and with little push did similar on them. Felt a difference here also. I am going to crochet today see how it goes. Thank you for you insite.

  55. I struggle with tendonitis. Will these stretches help with that? I’m tired if gong months without being able to do much of anything.

  56. Thank you for the stretches. They work great on tired hands! I have crocheted and knitted for many years, but about 10 years ago (when I retired) I began doing lots of needlework. Thats when my wrists and hands ( and sometimes arms) began hurting badly. Some one told me about using something that caused me to laugh, until I realized what she was saying. Use castor oil. NO, don’t swallow it! Rub it on your aching parts and then apply heat to it. So at night when I’m going to be, I will rub castor oil on my hands, then heat a rice bag in the microwave for 2 min. and keep it on my hands. Best to wrap it in a hand towel so as not to get the oil on the rice bag, or it could scorch it or start fire in the microwave the next time you heat it. I do this for 2 or 3 nights, and usually don’t have pain for several months. I don’t know how it works, it just does.
    Also, an elderly lady told me many years ago to take your thumb and forefinger and message each joint on every finger and thumb by grabbing the joint on the sides of the finger or thumb and roll it back and forth about 5 times for each joint. Do this once a day and she said you will never get calcium deposits in your joints.
    Just a few tidbits I’ve learned. Hope they work for you.

  57. Thank you for hand stretches my hands feel so much better. I have to wear carpal tunnel splints and the rest of my muscles were so tight from lack of use. I did not think to look up stretches.

  58. Thank you very much for posting this– I don’t knit, but I tried the exercises anyway, and my hands and lower arms feel a lot better.

    I’m passing the link along to blog.sethroberts.net– a blog that specializes in experimentation to find methods of healing, and a bit of snark about simple things that work which the doctor didn’t think of.

  59. I suffer from chronic tendonitis in both wrists – these stretches are just what the doctor ordered to keep me knitting, crocheting and typing. THANK YOU!

  60. Liat, I just had a hand specialist diagnose certain issues with my hands, and got comfort cool thumb and hand braces. But these exercises feel So Good.
    Just found them now, as link was passed on. As usual, you provide such a wealth of knowledge to us. Thank you. Elaine

  61. Here’s another exercise my chiropractor told me to do for elbow pain: place a roll of quarters or some cylindrical object in the inner bend of your elbow. Grab the wrist of that arm and pull it back towards your shoulder. Increase the size of the cylinder until you can feel a stretch. I have some arm muscles, so I use a spice jar. Also, ice the elbow when it starts to hurt.

  62. Hi Liat – thank you so much to you and Kate for these stretches – wonderful. I play guitar and also accompany singers on piano – and between those and knitting I’m always aching somewhere LOL Lovely to have specific exercises. Fil

  63. I live with pain….may I suggest something? If you find the pain challenging you even after stretches……..ice pack, then heat and alternate. Ice hurts more at first but seems to take the inflamation away the best. Warmth seems to relax muscles and nerve pain better. Just my 2cents…..

    1. Ruth, I totally agree!! I think in general we over-ice, but I love it in conjunction with heat. If you are in severe pain, fill a bucket with ice water, and another with very hot water. By ice water I mean fill a bucket with ice and add water. The hot water should be as hot as you can stand it without scalding yourself.

      Dunk your hands and/or arms – whatever hurts – into the ice water first, immersing the body part past the last joint involved. (If the pain goes into your elbow, put your arm in to your bicep.) After about 90 seconds, switch to the hot water. Go back and forth about 10 times. The trick is to keep the hot water hot and the cold water cold.

      This action vaso-dilates and constricts the blood vessels, pumping blood (which carries the nutrients your muscles need to repair) vigorously through the body. Your arm will get all blotchy for a bit- that’s okay.

      Bonus points: put Epsom salts in the hot water. Epsom salts have magnesium, one of the main ingredients needed for muscle tissue repair. Soaking your skin in water with Epsom salts is the fastest way we know to deliver magnesium to the blood stream. Happy healing!

  64. Brooke Browning

    hi, I was so glad to see these stretches featured in my craft zine newsletter.I have a myofascial disorder and routinely need stretches to help myself function.I also note understand how important it is for everyone believe everyone! great tute on beneficial stretches and description of the facia. I actually will use to help my violin playing also. Thanks!!!!

  65. Hi Liat! These are amazing!! Thank you so much for posting these stretches!!!
    I’m teaching a meditative knitting class this week (yep – using knitting as a form of mindfulness meditation) and part of my class is about how to look after our knitting hands… these were by far the best stretches I found in my hunt and I’ve credited you and your website wholeheartedly. Thanks again!! :)

  66. Thanks so much for these stretches. I’ve been having a lot of pain in my index finger as I knit. In fact, it had gotten so sore that it hurt all the time, whether I was knitting or not. I was afraid that I had gotten a stress fracture. However, I just did your stretches and as promised, instant relief. The pain is gone. Guess there was no fracture, just taught fasciae! Bless you! I won’t have to give up knitting after all!!!

  67. Great post! For anyone who also practices the martial arts, gently going through wrist locks is also a great way to stretch the hand, wrist and arm muscles. (If you’re not practiced with these do not attempt as they can cause damage if improperly done.)

    Stretch #2 is basically accomplishing the same thing as one of the wrist locks. But whenever I get sore from knitting, I start going through the locks myself and it helps. Stretching is the best way to keep muscles fit and working properly.

  68. These stretches are excellent. Only just started selling knitwear and have been knitting non-stop with an unprecedented amount of custom orders for friends and my poor little hands are as stiff as pokers. I suffer from bouts of tendonitis when my hands are very busy (im also a music student and play clarinet and piano for a number of hours every day) but even the twinge in my wrist is after easing from only doing 20 seconds on each stretch. Thank you for sharing!

  69. Kathleen junker

    Dear Liat, I’m so glad you are helping knitters with these stretches.Do you know of any that help with shoulder pain? I was knitting a lot and not taking breaks and started getting bad shoulder pain. I guess it would be ” rotator cuff” pain? I read that the only way to help is to stop knitting until the pain goes away or you will do more damage. That was two weeks ago and it’s not much better and I miss knitting soooo much! Are there any exercises I could do to help ? And once it’s gone, any that I could do to prevent this happening again? Thanks so much for your help.

    1. Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear this! I actually don’t know much about shoulder pain due to knitting, although I’m sure a good massage therapist could help figure out why you’re having pain. That’s how I learned about the finger stretches.

    2. Kathleen, please read my comment below. I also had neck and shoulder issues and used the same technique. This stuff really works wonders for me! Hope it helps you … and it’s affordable!!!

  70. Thank you for these.

    I shall print them off for my mother – she is the one who gets muscle aches and pains from knitting. (I spend too much time on the computer – surfing knitting sites.) Anyway, I am sure we will both do them.

  71. These are so great!! I’m glad that this was the first article that popped up when I googled “knitting hand soreness”, because it was EXACTLY what I needed.

    My brother will be so happy when his scarf is completed tomorrow rather than next week, so thank you from both of us (and my newly freshened fascia)!

  72. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

    I guess I knit too furiously this year. Just HAD TO finish this project and then the next! Then one evening, I was knitting along and “Twang”! I believe it was one of the nerves between the thumb and index finger on the left hand. For about a month now I’ve been feeling a constant “buzzing” in the thumb and sensitivity on top of the hand as well. I had no idea that others are suffering the same symptoms! THANK you so much for these exercises. Can’t wait to get started.

  73. thank you soooo much for these. I’m a fiber artist and I’ve been in just about constant pain for a year. these stretches are awesome, like Yin Yoga for the hands. magic! <3

  74. Nice stretches. Amazing how we forget so many parts of our bodies, even the ones we use constantly.

    Without getting detailed, also remember the neck and shoulders and upper arms. Even the back needs stretching, especially from too much sitting.

  75. I had Carpal tunnel surgery on one hand about 7 years ago and struggle with not overdoing things with both hands. Hoping these stretches help! How is that thumb stretch? I don’t see how to do it with the tops of my arms facing each other???

    1. If you have carpal tunnel the most important stretch to do is stretch #1 – stretching the fascia of the forearm. For the thumb stretch, the position of your arms doesn’t matter- just push your thumb back like in the picture in a way that is comfortable for you.

  76. Someone linked to this page on Tumblr… I had to come look. This is exactly what I needed! I’ve been marathon knitting a baby blanket and my wrists have been killing me. Just taking a five minute break for these stretches (and making a cup of tea) really helped a lot. My partner does a lot of hand-sewing but has bad joints in their hands/wrists- I’m definitely going to show them your stretches. Thank you so much for posting this! :)

    1. Yay! I’m so happy these helped you! You can actually do these stretches for your partner – just grab his or her arm and pull! It’s a wonderful gift to give to someone else- instant hand relief.

  77. This is very helpful. I have a mild wrist pain from knitting too much over the weekend. Just used these technique now and I’m feeling much better.

    1. Hi Jenn, I’m so glad that this is helpful for you! I know knitting is so addicting that it’s hard to put down – even when the wrists and fingers start to ache. :)

      I’m so glad you’re feeling better.

  78. Hi…so thankful that you posted these exercises…I am a continental knitter and have to knit socks on zeros to get the right gauge. My left hand fingers have been sore for several weeks and I thought I might have to give up knitting altogether!! The exercises are helping :)/..one question…when the directions say to push your hand towards your elbow-would that mean “up toward your elbow” or pushing your hand in towards your chest, resulting in bending your elbow. Please clarify, when you have a minute. Thanks so much!
    Have a great day!
    Terry

    1. Terry, that’s wonderful! I’m really glad the stretches are helping. It’s incredible that they actually work, but they do.

      When I said “towards your elbow” I meant “up towards your elbow” – the skin of your arm (and the fascia underneath, if you’ve got a nice, tight grip) should be stretched away from the wrist and towards the elbow. Your elbow will probably be bent so that you can easily grasp your forearm with the opposite hand, but the “pushing towards your elbow” action will not cause your elbow to bend more. I hope this helps!

  79. Someone pinned this on Pinterest. I found this post to be an interesting read and am working on doing these stretches every day before I knit or hook. Mahalo plenty for sharing about these.

    1. Hi Kepanie –

      How awesome that someone pinned this on Pinterest! I’m glad that it led you here and that you are working on the stretches. :)

      Thank you so much for visiting. Happy Knitting!

  80. OMG! Thank you bunches! I’m on a knitting marathon (for gifts) and my hands were hurting so much LOL! I tried the excercise and omg, what great relief! My poor hands were smoken’ from trying to finish! Again, thanks soooo so so much! And you’re right, great for waiting for tea LOL

    1. Hi Shavie –

      It’s so sweet that you’re working so hard on making gifts. I’m glad that we could help give you some relief! Keep up the great work. I’m sure the gifts are going to be well-loved.

  81. These are marvelous! I’ve arthritic hands… thumb joint, right wrist, and right hand’s pinky finger. I felt immediate relief. In fact, it seem to help my shoulder and neck … even my lats… where my ribs are.

    Thank you soooo much for giving us these exercises. Now… what have you got for our knees? LOL

    Also… I’m a member of an online knit forum… would it be okay with you if I copied your link to this page and share it with my fellow-knitters. I know that many experience finger and/or hand/wrist discomfort/pain. It’s a “topic” at times; asking for advice/suggestions for pain/discomfort relief.

    1. Hi Thelma –

      You are wonderful! Of course you can share the link to this page with your fellow-knitters. It’s always great to have more members in our amazing knitting community. :)

      I’m really glad that the stretches are working for you as well… I’ll see what I can do about the knees!

  82. I emailed these stretches to my daughter. Her Dr. made her stop knitting completely for 2 weeks because of the pain in her wrist from knitting so much. She’s excited about these exercises!

  83. Wow – they are fab! I love the explanation that went with the exercises – it really made me understand my body better! Thanks you soooooo much!!! I’ve passed the info on to two people already and I’ve only just read about it!

    1. Melissa, thank you! Aren’t they good?! I’m so grateful to my sister for teaching them to me so that I could share them with you. Thanks for sharing the page, too – that means a lot to me. Happy pain-free knitting!

  84. I sent this to my daughter, a college flute player who experiences some overuse pain (practicing 3+ hours a day will do that, I guess!) She tried them just today, and loves them. Thanks, Liat!

  85. Thank you, I’m currently having trouble with my elbow, shoulder and fingers. I’m sure these will help! My fingers are swollen.

  86. These are great stretches. I imagine they would be great for anyone who does alot of computer work, or even a student that has to do alot of writing. I am certainly going to try them. Even someone with arthritis. I just think they’re great.

  87. kate , do you have a photo of this stretch? I do not understand how to rotate, and is my arm straight out to the side of my body? confusing instructions to me.

    1. Hi there, which stretch are you confused about?

      Hold your arm straight in front of you – this will be the easiest. Kate had to hold her arm to the side for the photos.

      Try this: grab your right arm with your left hand, thumb on bottom. Push your grip down towards your right wrist (don’t let your grip slide). As you do this you can rotate your right arm in slightly, but it’s optional.

      How does that feel?

  88. Saw this post on CraftGossip. I have been experiencing pain in my thumb from too much hand sewing. I am definitely going to give these stretches a try.

  89. Thanks for sharing these tips. They also work great to relieve arm and wrist pain after a full day of typing!

    I’ve got another tip to relieve shoulder and neck pain. I’ve read it in knitting related context, but I cannot remember where. If your neck is stressed out and tensed do the following: turn your head to the left as far as it goes comfortably. Then push your lower jaw forward and hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds. You’ll feel your neck muscles and tendons stretching. Switch to the other side and repeat. Two to three “sessions” usually help me a lot if I’ve been sitting in the wrong knitting or working position for too long.

    I hope this helps!

    1. I use to have lots of neck pain and headaches. I did end up with carpel tunnel in right hand and was so painful, had surgery for that. An unexpected benefit
      I got from carpel tunnel surgery was that all of my arm, and shoulder and neck aches went away and have never come back. You might just check and
      see if you are on the verge of carpel tunnel problems. Have nerves tested for
      it. Just a suggestion. Anyway, I am a believer!!! Also, these hand stretches
      felt wonderful and I printed out and will continue with them. Felt immediate
      relief.

  90. The stretches have now become an important part of my knitting “regimen”. I’m mostly a machine knitter, so I’m holding handles and working with small tools. Feels great! I’m doing the stretches with my hand knitting, too. Thanks, Liat and Kate!

  91. Thank you for sharing these stretches with us…great relief. I did them while reading and could feel it immediately.

    My sister is a Physical Therapist and I questioned her about the discomfort from knitting a while ago. She suggested I wrap my arms and hands with a warm towel prior to stretching, stretch about 30 mins prior to knitting (yea, like that’s going to happen!), and to also stretch my neck (ear to shoulder then slowly rolling my head forward to stretch the muscles around the shoulder blade). She also suggested to ice my hands AFTER I knit, not to stretch, so the muscles, tendons and ligaments can calm down.

    Again, thanks for sharing these very specific stretches!!!

  92. Hi, guys! I’m so glad these helped you! Perhaps when I get back in town Liat and I can shoot a short video about how to work on your friends at Knit Night so everyone feels better! You don’t have to be a massage therapist to really help someone’s pain, just a few good pointers.

    Joyce, I think that the muscle group you are talking ant is the pecs, and front delt from how you are describing it. Stand in a doorway or at a corner of a wall, like you are going to walk through the door. Then, put your palm against the wall straight out from yr shoulder, at 90 degrees to your body. Use a long, straight arm. Now, rotate your body away from your palm as far as you can with a straight arm and no big discomfort.

    Relax your shoulders down from your ears. Relax your face, let the tongue fall off the roof of yr mouth. Breathe out, then rotate your body a bit further. Let the pec and the front of the shoulder feel a good stretch, which can feel burn-y, (that’s a fascia feel) but should not feel crunchy. Know the difference between “bad pain” and “good pain” in your body and be mindful of going to your place of benefit.

    Happy knitting and happy new year!

  93. Hi Liat
    Thanks to you and your sister Kate for these exercises. I can definitley feel a different already. I am presuming that the 90 seconds hold is not crucial as I only did it for 20 seconds and I still felt the difference. If I had to hold for 90 secs on each exercise I think I would give up.

    I wonder if Kate has any suggestions for the muscles under the arm next to the breast? I find when my work starts to get heavy that I feel the most discomfort there.

    I will certainly be passing this information on to all my knitting friends.

    Thanks again

    Joyce :)

    1. Joyce
      Get hold of a stiff Pilates roller
      I use it for illial tibial band syndrome which is the same problem with the fascia as described above but with the quad muscle in the thigh-google it

      I put it on the floor with pillows at either end for head and bottom and lie on it with arms outstretched at right angle to body- a bit like doing snow angels- I think you will feel the stretch immediately
      I got this one from Physiotherapist here in Australia
      Hope that helps
      Chris

      1. A rolled up towel or rolled yoga mat also work for this stretch. Adjust diameter depending on what gives you stretch without hurting. This tip came from my chiropractor.

    2. Re: heavy knitting; using circular needles helps with the weight.
      Lots of great stretch advice here, thanks so much. Def sharing with my knitting & crippled friends (lots of us have uncle Arthur in our joints!)

  94. These stretches are AMAZING! I did them briefly after seeing the pictures and immediately felt relief from the stiffness in my fingers! Thanks so much!

  95. I wish my doctors had given me these stretches when I was diagnosed with De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. I just went through this series of stretches, and I feel more pain relief than I ever did after the last cortisone injection – and I didn’t have to pay $300!

    1. I’m so glad these helped you! I was so surprised when I could actually feel less soreness in my fingers immediately after doing them. Thanks for commenting!

      1. Just tried this and I had to stop my right elbow is hurting real bad. Do you have any suggestions? I believe I developed burstisis I had this before but not this bad. Muscles and joints hurt. I do have arthritis it is no specific kind my doc says it’s not lupus whatever that means! Anyway I like to do those stretches I will when my elbow heals.

        1. El Edwards - Customer Happiness

          It sounds like you are doing just the right thing – waiting until your elbow has healed. If it continues, it would probably be worth seeing your doctor again.

        2. I have a remedy that I got from my Dad, and it works wonders for Bursitis!
          Apple Cider Vinegar
          Lecithin
          Vitamin E
          Vitamin C
          I take them together every day and my knee pain is gone!

          And now, thanks to this post, my knitting arm and hands are vastly improved, thank you!

        3. For my bursitis, I use a magnetic wrap. You can get them from “AceMagnets.com”. They seem to work for me immensely.

          Kris Drews

    2. I had De Querain’s, too. I had surgery for it in 1990. My wrist still hurt for 20 years until my chiropractor started working on it. I just did these stretches and I wish I had had them in 1990. I might could have done without the surgery or at least the twenty years of pain.

      1. I had DeQuervain’s as well. Had surgery for it MANY years ago. Still have a lot of pain in that wrist (which I also have Carpal Tunnel in that wrist). Hoping these exercises will help as well. Thanks!

    3. I was also diagnosed with De Quervain’s Tendinitis due to crocheting for extended periods of time without taking a break. It is quite painful, especially in the mornings. I am now wearing a special brace on my arm that stabilizes the thumb and hand while I sleep. This seems to be helping. I have also started doing some exercises for my thumb which seem to help. I had (1) cortisone shot 4 months ago and vowed to find relief through other means…cortisone shots are so caustic and can leave even more scar tissue. It is just temporary relief…not a solution to the problem. I wish I had known about these hand exercises and the fact that you should NEVER crochet for extended periods of time without frequents rest periods!

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