Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Grrrrr - frustrated - crochet injury!

I have to declare myself currently injured and only fit for the lightest crochet activities. After what I am officially naming my Christmas Crochet Marathon, I am now suffering with what I suspect is probably a touch of tendonitis in my left elbow.

And I am so incredibly frustrated!

I have lots and lots of wonderful ideas for crochet creatures buzzing around in my head that I'm so excited about, but there's very little I can do about them!

I am rather assuming it's the crochet that's causing the problem - there certainly was rather a lot of it in the run up to Christmas, but I was loving it so much!

However, I was talking to my brother who recently had a tennis elbow, and he thinks I've probably got the same as him - in my weaker arm (I'm right handed) caused by repetitive small movements - and that could very very easily be crochet, I can see that I constantly rotate my left forearm slightly in manipulating and creating crochet fabric.

So, I've had a full week off crochet, which has helped a bit, and I'm starting again slowly, only doing the odd 5 mins here and there and wearing an elasticated bandage on my elbow and supporting it on a pillow while I crochet. I have a good stock of ice cubes in the freezer for my elbow too.

Hopefully that'll help improve things, but I'm wondering whether it might be useful to change my crochet technique to limit or stop the movement in my left arm.

Anyone have any tips? I'm open to anything that will help me back to normal soon!

After all elite crochet and stitching athletes like us all have to take care of ourselves, don't we?

8 comments:

Laura said...

Oh gosh, how frustrating! Changing your crochet technique is going to be tricky - like learning to write with the wrong hand - but I guess it might be an option. Keeping it rested on a pillow or something might help limit the movement :S

Hope you feel better soon!

Hazels Crochet said...

oooooh that sounds sore, it must feel horrible not being able to crochet. I hope your arm gets better!! No more marathons in future :)

Unknown said...

Oh no not being able to do your favourite past time is awful, take care and rest it as much as possible and I hope it passes soon. Perhaps marathons should be avoided in future!!

Julie said...

Oh no, this is such bad news. How awful for you. I see in books people who hold the hook over the top, and some who hold it across the thumb/finger. My hand that's not got the hook always gets cramp when I do it for too long!

Perhaps you could try some stitching to satisfy the crafting urges, not so fast and exciting I know. Hope you are soon healed.

Sue Pinner said...

oh! no what bad luck sore too..hope you and your elbow feel better soon
Sue x

Crochet Addict UK said...

Nothing worse! I hope you get better soon. One exercise you can do to help is to hold your arm up and swing it from the elbow like a pendulum. this pull the ligaments and everything in a different directions. Also at least once an hour put your hand, arm, elbow and shoulder in a different position than you would normally hold it. The pain is caused by the repetitive movement and changing the direction of the muscles etc helps. Hope you get better soon!

Val said...

Oh how I sympathise .... I have injured my right shoulder and elbow by over stretching ! Didn't help that I had done too much stitching ... so had to hold off the stitching for a few days so know how annoying that is ...cold doesn't work for me but heat pads do ...
Val x

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