Owww, My Hand Hurts
And it's not due to knitting. It's sad and a bummer, isn't it? Sad, because I don't knit enough and I've never developed the obsessive-compulsive habit of knitting for hours on end like some of my knitting friends. I really enjoy knitting and the process of knitting, but I really can't do it for that long without stopping and doing something else. Bummer, because I can't knit as much as I used to because of the pain!
Friends - if you love your knitting, take care of your hand, especially if you use the mouse and computer a lot at work!! This could happen to you!!
I've had problems with my thumb for well over 2 years, but it seemed really minor, and it came and went. I usually just thought it was a big mystery. About 2 years ago, I finally went to the doc, who prescribed me Naproxen to reduce inflammation. During that time, I was also on frequent intermittent leave from work to take care of my mom. When I came back full time again, my hand started hurting again, and also more and more over time, especially my thumb and my ring and pinky finger areas. I finally figured out that it was because of the computer mouse! It always hurt during work (and a little after), but it never hurt on the weekend. I could still knit, write and do yoga, and all those things would not bring about the pain and soreness I experienced during the week.
After I realized it was the mouse and self-diagnosed it as tendinitis, which my doc also confirmed, I would be really careful, because my hand would throb by the end of the day (even if I took frequent breaks, wore a drugstore brace, and stretched). I was careful not to aggravate it more by doing things like writing, knitting or yoga (damn downward-facing dog). But those were the things I'd do to wind down and relax from a mentally and emotionally draining job. I have to work...I have emails to read, presentations to create/edit, research to do, letters to write and other things at work requiring a computer and mouse.
Anyway, it got progressively worse -- to the point where it even hurt in my sleep sometimes; I even wore a hand/wrist brace to sleep. Even more dismal is that for the bulk of this spring and this summer, I mostly saved knitting for my knit group meetings. I roughly calculated that in these last few months, I've only spent 20-30 minutes or less a week knitting. This is TOTAL time, not what I was doing before - 30 minutes on the train from work (sometimes also to work), about 20-30 minutes before bedtime a few days a week, and an extra hour or so when I go to my knitting group. This is really frustrating, because I really haven't been knitting long and I'd like to futher hone my skills, AND it's my therapy!
About 1 month ago, I requested an ergonomic vertical mouse at work- the Quill aerobic mouse. It alleviated a lot of the intense humb and hand pain, but now, I'm having another problem! My forearm is starting to hurt up to my elbow because I have to move my entire arm to navigate this large mouse, and I still have some pain in the same areas. :( Well, I'm in physical therapy now. The PT doctor diagnosed me with wrist tendinitis and said that he sees "more people with hand problems from [the computer] than people who swing sledgehammers...God didn't intend us to do this kind of work 8 hours a day..." I hope the PT and everything they're recommending helps. Right now, I am not too optimistic. So depressing and frustrating.
In the meantime, I guess I will have to resort to other (less portable) crafty diversions...
Friends - if you love your knitting, take care of your hand, especially if you use the mouse and computer a lot at work!! This could happen to you!!
I've had problems with my thumb for well over 2 years, but it seemed really minor, and it came and went. I usually just thought it was a big mystery. About 2 years ago, I finally went to the doc, who prescribed me Naproxen to reduce inflammation. During that time, I was also on frequent intermittent leave from work to take care of my mom. When I came back full time again, my hand started hurting again, and also more and more over time, especially my thumb and my ring and pinky finger areas. I finally figured out that it was because of the computer mouse! It always hurt during work (and a little after), but it never hurt on the weekend. I could still knit, write and do yoga, and all those things would not bring about the pain and soreness I experienced during the week.
After I realized it was the mouse and self-diagnosed it as tendinitis, which my doc also confirmed, I would be really careful, because my hand would throb by the end of the day (even if I took frequent breaks, wore a drugstore brace, and stretched). I was careful not to aggravate it more by doing things like writing, knitting or yoga (damn downward-facing dog). But those were the things I'd do to wind down and relax from a mentally and emotionally draining job. I have to work...I have emails to read, presentations to create/edit, research to do, letters to write and other things at work requiring a computer and mouse.
Anyway, it got progressively worse -- to the point where it even hurt in my sleep sometimes; I even wore a hand/wrist brace to sleep. Even more dismal is that for the bulk of this spring and this summer, I mostly saved knitting for my knit group meetings. I roughly calculated that in these last few months, I've only spent 20-30 minutes or less a week knitting. This is TOTAL time, not what I was doing before - 30 minutes on the train from work (sometimes also to work), about 20-30 minutes before bedtime a few days a week, and an extra hour or so when I go to my knitting group. This is really frustrating, because I really haven't been knitting long and I'd like to futher hone my skills, AND it's my therapy!
About 1 month ago, I requested an ergonomic vertical mouse at work- the Quill aerobic mouse. It alleviated a lot of the intense humb and hand pain, but now, I'm having another problem! My forearm is starting to hurt up to my elbow because I have to move my entire arm to navigate this large mouse, and I still have some pain in the same areas. :( Well, I'm in physical therapy now. The PT doctor diagnosed me with wrist tendinitis and said that he sees "more people with hand problems from [the computer] than people who swing sledgehammers...God didn't intend us to do this kind of work 8 hours a day..." I hope the PT and everything they're recommending helps. Right now, I am not too optimistic. So depressing and frustrating.
In the meantime, I guess I will have to resort to other (less portable) crafty diversions...
Labels: misc babble
posted by Anne at
9:47 PM
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4 Comments:
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your hand and wrist. I hope that it gets better. You have to think positive. You're doing everything right so I hope your body will follow so you can get back to being a crafting diva.
Thanks. Sadly, I think it hurts more after PT! (I only knit 2x the past 7 days, and only 5 minutes each!)
I have tendinitis in my wrist and hand, too. I had a huge flare-up just before I was diagnosed, and have had only very minor ones since.
Why? I did three things differently (now four). 1. I moved my computer mouse inboard, so I was no longer leaning on my desk while working the mouse. I just pushed it forward about six inches. 2. Likewise, I made a conscious effort to stop leaning on my gear shift in the car when I was driving. I still drive a five-speed transmission car, I just use the gear shift for, well, shifting. 3. I read online about taking B-6 for tendinitis and flew the idea (and dosage) past my doctor, who OK'd it. I still take B-6 almost every day. 4. I now have a laptop.
I understand that our medical situations may be different; I just hope that your case can be treated as easily as mine.
Sending kind thoughts to your tendons and your knitting needles...
Ms. V -- Thanks for the tips! I will try the vitamins. I have moved and changed my mouse.
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