Craft Without Pain – Andrea Lui (1)

Keeping your elbow bent for long periods can irritate the ulnar nerve, and this gets worse if you rest your elbow on a hard surface, adding pressure to the nerve. To reduce strain, try straightening your elbows slightly and keeping your project farther from your body. Placing a pillow under your forearms can also help reduce tension. For the Wrist The muscles that control the wrist start near the elbow and run down the forearm, so wrist posture directly affects forearm comfort.

The most common wrist issue for fiber artists is ulnar deviation – when the wrist angles toward the pinky side. This happens because the bony structure of the wrist allows more motion in that direction, and we often default to this position when tired or distracted. To protect the wrist, aim for a neutral position: From above: a straight line from the middle knuckle down the wrist From the side: a straight line from fingers to forearm without bending up or down Using a pillow under the forearms or between the forearm and body can help support neutral wrist alignment and prevent strain.

Look Out For This! When you are… Holding your project close to your body Knitting or crocheting for an extended period Spinning Exercise Wrist Flexor/Extensor Strengthening For us as hand crafters, maintaining equal strength on both sides of the forearm is crucial for keeping our wrists in more neutral alignment. The concept discussed in the Importance of Stretching and Strengthening section applies here.

In order to maintain our wrist joints in healthy alignment and prevent excessive flexion or extension while crafting, we need to ensure both the wrist flexors and the wrist extensors are equally strong. Wrist Flexor Strengthener Rest your forearm on a table or armrest, with your hand hanging off the edge and palm facing up. Slowly bring your hand up, flexing the wrist, and then slowly lower down into a bend.

Repeat for 10–15 repetitions of 3 sets, resting for 30 seconds between sets, then repeat on the other side. Wrist Extensor Strengthener Rest your forearm on a table or armrest, with your hand hanging off the edge and palm facing down. Slowly bring your hand up, extending the wrist, and then slowly lower down into a bend. Repeat for 10–15 repetitions of 3 sets, resting for 30 seconds between sets, then repeat on the other side. Tip If you find that your hand is shaking as you slowly bring it up and down, that is a sign of muscle weakness!

This is completely normal, and also a signal that your body could use this strengthening. Exercise Wrist Flexor/Extensor Stretching Just as how we want to maintain equal strength in the muscles, we also need equal length for a full range of motion.

How to Use This Book Posture and Ergonomics Overview The Importance of Stretching and Strengthening Improving Your Self-Awareness SPINE Spine Neck and Head Upper/Mid Back Low Back UPPER BODY Upper Body Shoulder Girdle Elbow/Forearm Hand LOWER BODY Lower Body Hip Knee Ankle and Foot NEXT STEPS Set Realistic Goals Goal-Setting Log Weekly Check-In Modify Your Environment Listen To Your Body Incorporating Exercise into Daily Life Building an Exercise Program Make Your Own Exercise Routine Progress Log When to Seek Professional Help CONCLUSION Bibliography About the Author Acknowledgments OceanofPDF.com Introduction If you’ve opened this book, the chances are you’ve experienced some kind of physical discomfort related to your crafting.

If so, welcome, and congratulations on taking the first step toward caring for your body! If you’re pain-free and want to stay that way, this book is also for you. I love the preventative approach you’re taking, and my goal is to provide you with a useful guide to help you craft for the long haul, without sacrificing your physical well-being.

To begin with a little bit about me: I’m a mostly self-taught fiber artist, and I started with sewing and quilting before finding my first true fiber love – knitting. I learned to knit from a woman at Wellesley College and spent many winter sessions holed up in my dorm room, knitting and watching TV between shifts at the athletic training center.

I worked for three years as an aide for the college athletic trainers while pursuing my undergraduate degree in biology, and this experience cemented my love of the human body and physical rehabilitation. Later, knitting became a lifeline for my mental health while I was postpartum with my first child. Over time, I fell deeper into the fiber arts rabbit hole, learning to crochet, spin yarn, and weave. Professionally, I’ve worked as an orthopedic physical therapist for over 10 years.

When I discovered the online knitting community in 2020, I found not only endless project inspiration, but also a flood of posts from makers asking for advice on managing crafting-related pain. The responses often ranged from “power through it” to “quit crafting altogether.” As a physical therapist, I’ve always believed in finding the middle ground, helping my patients rehab while keeping them engaged in the activities they love.

Seeing advice that pushed people to either ignore their pain or give up their craft altogether was, frankly, horrifying.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 557f610f6b31b313
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 21,292,198 bytes (20.306 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• ISBN: 9781446316757, 9781446316764
• Pages: 154
• Language: English (en)

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• Estimated Reading Time: 74.11 minutes
• Total Words: 14,821
• Total Characters: 88,065
• Average Words per Page: 96.24
• Average Characters per Page: 571.85

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