Knitters Wrist

I finally learned porteugese knitting to help. It is actually faster, less movement, more accurate gauge and very easy. I learned continental though.

I learned crochet as a kid and learned to knit in my late 30's. I also developed arthritis in my left hand as well. I thought I had to give it all up so gave PK a try.

I am in the US, so I had a Craftsy subscription. On that platform, which just returned from the brink, Andrea Wong has a class. I noticed she also has videos on Youtube for free.

To help with the arthritis when I crochet, I wear a carpal tunnel wrist guard. As long as it hold my wrist in a neutral position I can crochet, but do limit the time I spend and alternate between knitting and crochet.

Bathsheba, yes you basically use your thumb to drum against the tips of the fingers on the same hand. So thumb to index, middle, ring & pinky then work backward and forwards, gaining pace as you do it.”
According to my physio it helps to strengthen the hands and wrist. I’ve done it for years as I get bad pains in my left arm/wrist which can cause swelling after 2 bad breaks (the cold weather hurts something awful).
It might be psychosomatic at this point, but I do find it relieves my aches.

Lolo81

Not sure if this will suit your situation, but I learned to knit as a teenager as part of physio following a badly broken arm. My physio told me that to strengthen my hands and wrist that I should stretch my fingers first.

So I touch the tip of my thumb against each of my fingers in turn (it’s a sort or tapping motion) and it helps me with rheumatic pains to this day. It’s actually now become a habit.

I’m not sure how helpful my instructions were there tbh, but wanted to share a wee exercise that has helped me.

Do you mean you tap the thumb of your right hand, say, to the tips of each finger on your right hand? I just tried that and it doesn't feel much like stretching my fingers. In fact it doesn't seem to involve any stretching at all, just bending the fingers to meet the thumb. Maybe I have misunderstood you

I had a similar problem GagaJo and read an article on hand stretches for knitters. I now do them before and after knitting (they only take a couple of minutes) and it has made a big improvement. I can't find the site I used now but if you google it quite a few come up. Worth a try.

It is quicker, but because I'm not used to it, I can't control the tension (a bit like the kids on GN!) and it ends up getting tighter and tighter.

All finished now anyway. I'll give it a break before starting the next thing.

I just looked at the link and looks similar to a crochet technique, Gagajo, so anyone who can crochet might find that quite easy to learn.

It's supposed to be faster than English style knitting.

Sympathies, Gagojo.
I have a thumb joint or tendon playing up. Not sure which, left hand. It flared up during the mass of knitting I did from the beginning of lockdown until December - doesn’t hurt all the time by any means but I have to be careful, hence no knitting at the moment, I do miss it though.

Oddly enough I first damaged it - badly - while trying to do a 10 note stretch on the piano. My own fault, I knew at the time that it was a stretch too far. It was really bad that time - I had to immobilise my thumb completely by strapping it firmly to my hand. It did get much better but obviously never completely recovered.

Not sure if this will suit your situation, but I learned to knit as a teenager as part of physio following a badly broken arm. My physio told me that to strengthen my hands and wrist that I should stretch my fingers first.

So I touch the tip of my thumb against each of my fingers in turn (it’s a sort or tapping motion) and it helps me with rheumatic pains to this day. It’s actually now become a habit.

I’m not sure how helpful my instructions were there tbh, but wanted to share a wee exercise that has helped me.

Rebecca3 the swivel joint will have another half inside the teddy’s body. To repair the joint you would need to open one of the body seams and find the matching piece, then rejoin them through the hole in the body.

I have Googled continental knitting. It is quite easy and quick but my hands don't like it! They think it isn't proper knitting. BUT it is easier on my sore hand.

www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=HP21Co7X03c

I have arthritis in my right fingers which can make knitting very painful. I started taking glucosamine which has really helped and use something called joint ace which I found in boots as a topical cream to help. I also find that warming them in a heated muff helps. I did try compression gloves but didn’t get on with them. I’ll try anything to keep knitting.

I get a pain in my right arm (bicep?) if I knit for too long and an aching back GagaJo so I understand. Could you give your hands a shake now and again, much as a concert pianist might loosen up? I try to do this as well as stretching otherwise I'd be doubled up.
If teddy's arm won't snap in Rebecca, is there a toy hospital you could use?

My grandson aged 2 years, has a lovely (expensive) teddy bear. (approx.GBP50!) His arm has just come off and my daughter (his mum) asked if I could mend it/fix it! I don't know to do it properly/ In the pic, the dark peg on the left is attached to the arm. If you look closely, there is a hole in his body...which means I suppose that the arm used to swivel. Should I just sew it on with brown cotton (or even use dental floss as it's strong? ) in which case it won't swivel any more? Any suggestions.. grandson very attached to his bear!! Thanks/

I never knit for longer than 2 hours. I might then switch to crochet (because I tell myself it uses different muscles!)

I got RSI from decorating, ie sanding paintwork. It did take a while to get over it.

Cn you feel a lump when you massage the back of your hand? Could it be a ganglion forming, I had two on the back of my hand then they just disappeared on their own. My sisterIL had to have one drained though. We both knitted a lot.

Have you tried wearing a compression glove? I have only one fully working hand and the thought of damaging it is really worrying.

They are sometimes called ‘arthritis gloves’ and the ends of the fingers are open.

Gagajo I am afraid you will not help the RSI by continuing knitting. Could you give it a complete rest for at least 6 weeks and if you restarted, could you use the other hand?

I am left handed but at school, I was forced to use my right hand so maybe if later you practised using your other hand? Does this make any sense coming from a non-knitter but who has had severe RSI using a computer mouse?

Yes, I do have one growstuff, but they are horrible and stop me sleeping. I guess it is the split or give up knitting.

Try a wrist splint and wear it at night.

Could you have a trapped nerve, or rather a nerve that becomes trapped because of the position/angle of your fingers, wrist or elbow when knitting?

If so, I don't know what you can do if this is only brought on by knitting, other than to stop doing it or see if you can change your style of knitting.

I had a badly trapped nerve in my elbow, and as it progressed, the top of my hand hurt, and I had numbness, like you describe, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you have the same problem.

I am greatly afraid you will need to stop knitting and take up some hobby that doesn't strain your wrist.

I hadn't thought of ibuprofen. I know really I should stop knitting. But I enjoy it, and frankly, having my hands busy with knitting stops them being busy with food!

I was having the same problem so taught myself to crochet, although I haven't attempted more than the basics.
Now I've found my left index finger is painful (and larger than the other one) and my left elbow is sometimes painful.

I don't know what to suggest for the pain other than massaging with an Ibuprofen gel and perhaps alternating between knitting and learning to crochet as it's a different movement.

Some posters said that circular needles are better to use.
I like Knitpro needles, they're very smooth wood and not so hard on the hands.

Oh dear Gagajo that sounds painful
Sorry I havent suffered from those symptoms, so can only offer the basic advice of ibuprofen to reduce any swelling around the nerve and hot and cold to help with pain.
I do get aching thimb joints from knitting and I follow my own advice for that.
Hopefully someone with more l knowledge will advice promptly