Staying Healthy: Hand Exercises for Crocheters

Hand exercises for crocheters may seem like overkill, but I promise you, they are worth it. Have you felt tired before when you overdo it on a crochet project? The truth is, you should view crocheting as you would a sport because you are moving and working your hands, arms, and neck constantly as you do it.

You probably know a few crocheters out there who have been out of commission for weeks at a time. This should not necessarily scare you, but it is meant to show you that injuries can be serious if you are not careful.

Prevent Injuries With These Hand Exercises For Crocheters

For some, the injury may come after a long time of repeating the same movement over and over when crocheting a blanket. Others may not feel anything at all, but then suddenly get tremendous pain in their wrist or hands. For some, tendinitis may keep them out of business for months.

In some cases, you may feel a slight tingling that disappears quickly. This tingling can turn into chronic pain, which if left unchecked and untreated, may become a strain injury that takes a lot to treat and recover from.

Before you run away from crocheting, you should know that there are easy ways to prevent strain and injuries. One of these is doing home exercises that reduce the chance of strain injuries, carpal tunnel, or inflammation. You do not need to run to a physical therapist just yet, instead, try doing these often and you will feel better.

Be sure to try these exercises before you start crocheting next. Always be mindful of your own body telling you when something is too much, as it is a sign that you are going overboard. When your fingers or hands are hurting, you should rest and recover before you start doing exercises.

Here are the hand exercises for crocheters!

Exercise #1: Stretch your wrists 

One of the best ways to strengthen your hands is to exercise your wrists. This type of stretch is called an extensor stretch. For easiness, sit facing a table. Sit back enough that your palms sit on top of the table. Stretch your arms in front of you and bend your wrists with your fingers facing down and pressing against the table.

Press your hands against the table. For best results, press the knuckles tightly and stretch your wrists so they bend a little. Hold this exercise for about 20 seconds, and repeat for three times.

Exercise #2: Repeat the exercise above for the other side of your hands

This one is known as the flexor stretch, and it is almost identical to the one above. Sit again facing the table, but make sure to be back enough that your palms reach the table.

Hold your arms straight out, and touch the edge of the table with your fingertips, slowly pushing forward. Pretend you are trying to move the table with your arms but your fingers will not let you. You should feel this stretch in the part below your wrists. Hold this exercise for 20 seconds and repeat it three times too.

Exercise #3: Do hand tendon glides 

This exercise is harder to do, but so worth it. The first part is to hold your hand up with an open palm, stretch your fingers apart, and back against themselves. Then curl only the tip of your fingers down to the knuckles. Repeat the first stretch, fold your fingertips down to the palms, and hold it. Repeat the initial stretch, part your fingers, and stretch them back. Finish off by making a fist.

Practice these exercises and be a stronger and better crocheter! 

Now that you know all that it takes to prevent injuries is to exercise your fingers, hands, and wrists, why not start today? You can add a couple more exercises by using dumbbells or wrist weights to your morning routine workout. You should also check out stretching exercises to accompany these, which can help prevent strain and injury too.

For some these exercises can be a little strenuous, so be careful not to overexert yourself. If you are experiencing pain, and it is not going away, it is always best to check with your doctor. Keep in mind that you may also want to take breaks between crocheting and exercising your hands so your body can recover adequately.

Accompany these hand exercises with the practice of eye and hand coordination, band workouts, and eye focus movements. All of these are easy to find on the Internet or ask your crocheting and knitting friends, as surely they have all experienced the same problems.

Start with these three easy hand exercises for crocheters, and soon you will notice how stronger you are, how your hands can hold more weight, and how quickly your fingers and wrists move.

Enjoyed reading this article? Then be sure check out this article about Staying Healthy: Stretching for Crocheters.