My first knitting injury
(Un?)Fortunately, it’s not this exciting ^
A few weeks ago I was having a hard time typing on my computer after lunch break. I felt like my pinky finger was frozen and took a long time to “thaw.” I just figured it was a bit too chilly in our house, and didn’t pay any attention to it.
Until it kept happening again, and again. So, bizarre, right?
Ha ha. Yeah, I finally figured it out. Knitting is making some of my fingers go numb (and since I knit during lunch break, I sometimes feel it in the afternoon). It’s only happening in the left hand though, which seems odd – the right hand is the one with yarn wrapped all over it.
It was particularly bad Saturday night – my ring finger tip went numb and felt tingly all day Sunday, and still felt weird Monday! I wonder if my wedding rings are messing with the circulation to my finger tip, but why does it sometimes bug my pinky, too?
The two fingers that tend to go numb aren’t even doing anything! Maybe that is why they start to lose feeling?
I’ve been noticing it more when I use smaller (size 5) needles – they’re more flexible and I think I press against them harder.
A quick google search shows lots of different ways people become sore from knitting, and ways to prevent it. Who knew there was so much “risk” in knitting? Ha ha. I am going to pay more attention to it and try to figure out how to prevent it from happening again. I don’t sit down and knit for hours on end (I’d fall asleep before that could happen), so I am a bit surprised! Anyway…
What is making my fingers go numb? More washcloths! My mom bought yarn for me to make her some, and I will see her this weekend and want to have a few done:
The one on the bottom right is me getting rid of extra yarn. Ha ha- it’s my little fraken-cloth. Also, isn’t it interesting what that yarn is doing with the waffle pattern compared to this one?
My snister sent me this link for a waffle pattern washcloth so I tried to do a few of those. As you can tell, the orange one was the first one – ha ha – I have to be really careful to hold the yarn at a consistent tightness with those. It’s a fun pattern though, and it’s easy to remember and really quick to make. Just gives you a numb finger… which always beats impalement.
Themocracy
My pinky seems to be doing that from time to time and I think it’s from foam rolling. I read constant leaning on your elbow can cause that, which is how I foam roll, which isn’t stopping any time soon.
Wow! That is nuts! I would never expect that from foam rolling!
Thats your ulnar nerve being irritated. you might need to watch your shoulders or relax your elbow a little as you knit.
Ooo! You are right, it is! Wow, hmm, I guess I will have to watch what I am doing with my shoulders and elbow, too!
Ha ha, yeah!! I get it from time to time and then sometimes really bad. Its a weird feeling right.
I get a similar soreness if I have a stretch where I obsess over playing video games. My guess is your right hand since it’s looping the yarn is probably not just staying completely stressed-still (I know at least for me I am so guilty of that, I use my left hand to stabilize my DS and don’t actually remember to move it, haha!)
We both need to be more cognizant of stretching our left hands! LOL!
I didn’t know knitting was considered an extreme sport! I feel (or don’t feel) your pain. I have Raynauds where your fingers lose blood and basically look and feel dead. It’s very irritating! Going in the grocery store is the worst!!!
Oh gosh, I have a few friends who have that. It sounds so painful 🙁
My pinkies (sp?) do that, but its usually due to a temperature change. I’ve acquired Raynauds from my Mom it seems, so its a constant battle to keep my hands warm!
I feel your pain – my thumb joint will hurt really bad if I’m knitting a lot, or with bulky yarn. My solution has been to have a couple of different projects going, so I can switch up needle size and yarn weight periodically. I still get to knit, but it seems to help alleviate the knitting injuries, which sound silly – but they are real!
I think that is what I need to do, too – go back to working with my size 8 needles for awhile. Maybe even pick up that scarf project I didn’t finish up from the winter! That’s interesting it’s the bulkier yarns for you!
love the waffle knit
do you think if you sit at a different angle, maybe feet up or something, you might have better luck?
Maybe! I will have to figure something out 🙂
That first picture, LOL! You’re so silly. Sorry about your pinky. 🙁 Hopefully in time your hand will get used to knitting!
FINALLY – someone commented on it! I was just trying to be silly and everyone ignored it! Ha!
Interesting! I’ve never had this problem (that I recall). Sometimes, I can feel the strain in my wrist if I have to purl a lot (continental style) because of all the rotation in the stitch.
I’m amused by your knitting injury picture. I’m glad it wasn’t that dire!! (True story: my dad used to say I couldn’t knit in bed because he was afraid I’d fall asleep and either impale myself on the needles or get the yarn wrapped around me.)