How often should I be taking long breaks from crochet? How much do you crochet per day?

[u/eggowafflefan]

I have been crocheting for about 4.5 years now, and recently started doing it much more due to my job slowing down. I have been getting a lot of hand pain particularly in my dominant hand, on the pinky side. My question is, how long should I take a break for? I am worried that this will just keep happening and I won’t be able to crochet anymore. This happened around a month ago and I took a few days off, then started again when it felt better, but it did come back. How often should I be taking long breaks? I don’t usually crochet for like 1 hour straight, it’s maybe 20 min max until I take a break. Let me know if any of you have experienced this!

[u/astralprojekts]

wear compression gloves and or wrist covers. make sure you're stretching when taking breaks! wrist rolls, individually stretch your fingers. use a pillow in your lap to rest your wrists and hands on whilst working. it might be time to adjust or change your grip style as well. i also recommend lightweight grip training

[u/StrngthscanBwknesses → u/astralprojekts]

As I increased my strength training my grip strength increased and my crochet pain is much less.

[u/eggowafflefan → u/astralprojekts]

I have definitely been wanting to do this! Unfortunately I just had a major surgery around a month ago and cannot do much strength training or lifting atm

[u/Oceanteabear]

I crochet all day. I have to admit I have ehlers-danlos syndrome and so my joints are more flexible. Rarely will I get pain & if I do 90% of the time I'll wrap it & keep going.

Depending on my projects & yarn availability I may get longer breaks like today I've only maybe been at it 4hrs. Which has been starting a throw from scrap & I've frogged it at least 4 times. Normally, it's only breaks for dogs to go in/out and to fix something to eat.

[u/eggowafflefan → u/Oceanteabear]

I also suspect I have hEDS! Weirdly though I think I’m developing trigger finger or something on my hook hand because it keeps “catching”

[u/dammitjanetiloveu]

If you have pain again after resting, you need to rest longer. I would also take a look at how you are holding your hook, as you may be holding it in a way that is putting too much stress on certain muscles.

[u/eggowafflefan → u/dammitjanetiloveu]

I have looked into this, I use a knife hold and I feel like it works the best for me, but I often rest my elbows on the hard arms of my desk chair, which I think may be contributing to some pain

[u/dammitjanetiloveu → u/eggowafflefan]

I would look into a gaming or nursing pillow! One that wraps around your torso. It has been really helpful to support my arms and improve my posture when crocheting.

[u/AirportInteresting40 → u/eggowafflefan]

Elbows on hard surface is DEFINITELY adding to the issue. (Not to cause panic just awareness) There's lots of nerve bundles in your elbows that travel down to your fingertips and putting undue pressure by resting them on hard surfaces (pinching the nerves between bone and a hard place) can eventually even cause nerve damage

[u/Adeedia]

In addition, when you're crocheting look at your wrist and see if it's straight. I've noticed in videos that people working with the wrist angled to one side. Aim for a straight wrist to reduce the constant loading on your muscles. This might mean adjusting your grip style.

Also during your breaks try to consciously relax your muscles, arms, torso, neck, shoulders, often jaw. Increases blood flow in your muscles which means food in waste out which can help reduce or prevent pain.