Hi crochet friend!
The past few months have been a bit of a challenge for me. I had to put down my yarn and hooks and stop crocheting. It was frustrating, because crocheting has always been an important part of my relaxation and stress relief.
What was going on?
About 5 months ago, I started feeling a numbness in my hands whenever I would crochet. It would start in my thumb and move to all my fingers from there. This, I discovered, is called carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition where a nerve in the wrist gets pinched. It causes numbness in the hands and fingers and can make even the simplest of hand movements difficult.
Ugh! It’s so frustrating to start crocheting something and not be able to finish! I was able to crochet little bits here and there, but no more than 10-15 minutes at a time. It definitely made my stress reliever stressful!
Then it happened: I was no longer able to even hold my hook. I had a hard time holding forks and spoons, too. My wrist and hand would become so weak and numb that even every day functions were nearly impossible.
I just prayed that it would go away once my baby was born, but no luck. Even a month after I had my baby, I was still struggling. That’s when I finally talked to my physical therapist.
The Solution
My physical therapist explained that sometimes stress can cause us to tense muscles we never thought we would, like the muscles in the forearm. This is what happened to me. She felt my arm to see where the problems were and introduced me to more aggressive stretches, so I could deal with the pain. The stretch seen below was the most effective for me.
I am not a medical professional, so please see your own physical therapist/doctor for guidance on what stretches would be best for you.
Well, it worked a little at first. And then after a week or two of doing the stretches, it worked a little more. And now about 2 months postpartum, I’m almost back to normal! Thank goodness!!
It was a hard few months, but I definitely learned that this craft of mine isn’t just a hobby, it’s a huge part of my mental health. I need that relaxation at the end of the day to help me sleep, to boost my mood, and to just let go of stress.
Have you ever had a time when you couldn’t crochet? What did you do about it? Let me know by commenting below!
Until next time, Happy Crocheting!
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