21 Years of Crochet, a Wrist Brace Habit, and Carpal Tunnel Surgery

I've been crocheting pretty regularly for the past 21 years. I also work full-time as a medical coder, so I'm on the computer all day. Then, when I'm off work, I crochet.

Apparently, my hands don't get the memo that they're supposed to have a break! All that repetitive movement can take a toll on your wrists and hands.

About five years ago, I started noticing pain in my wrists. I would put on a brace for a while, and that seemed to take care of it.

Pins and Needles in My Right Wrist at Night

I'm right-handed, so it mainly affected my right wrist. About two years ago, it got really bad. It would bother me during the day, but at night it would wake me up.

My arms would go numb, and it was painful. It felt like pins and needles sticking in my arm. I went without much sleep.

Worst of all, the pain wouldn't go away. I had problems with both hands, but my right was definitely worse.

Enough Wrist Braces to Open My Own Store

I got on YouTube and found exercises to stretch my wrists and strengthen those muscles, but nothing really seemed to work. I tried wrist braces of all shapes and sizes; I tried ergonomic keyboards, ergonomic crochet hooks, and just about anything else I could think of. Nothing took the pain away completely.

I probably spent a small fortune on wrist braces, ergonomic hooks, keyboards, and mice. At this point, I could've opened my own little store for people with wrist problems! I even tried putting creams on my wrist, but those didn't help either.

Staying Awake for Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Eventually, I was in so much pain that I could no longer crochet. That's when I finally went to the doctor. After a series of tests, they determined that I had carpal tunnel syndrome.

I had surgery on my right hand, and I'm so glad I did! No more sleepless nights, and I can crochet without being in pain.

Surgery itself wasn't too bad. I had the choice of going under general anesthesia or having local anesthesia and staying awake. I chose the local anesthesia.

I sat in a chair, and, of course, I didn't watch while they operated. I could feel some pressure, but I never felt any pain.

The first day after surgery was rough. I was pretty miserable, but it didn't take long to recover. I'm so happy I had it done.

It's been a year and a half, and I don't regret it one bit.

Crocheting for Hours Again

Now I can sit for hours on end and crochet. When my wrist was bad, I couldn't do it for long. Now, if my schedule would just ease up, I'd have more time to crochet.

Reading Glasses, Cataracts, and a Good Lamp

Now, as I get older, I have another challenge: my eyesight. Sometimes, it's a struggle to see what I'm doing when I'm working with dark yarn or lightweight yarn that requires a small hook. Or if the pattern is in tiny print.

I usually have to put on my reading glasses.

My eye doctor told me I have cataracts, but they're not bad enough to operate on yet. Lucky me! I'm patiently waiting until I can have cataract surgery and hopefully see better again.

Eventually I will be like the bionic woman, having had surgeries to correct everything that's wrong with me.

For now, things aren't too bad as long as I'm in a well-lit room and have my glasses. I try to sit near a lamp and make sure my reading glasses are within reach before I start crocheting. There's nothing like spending 10 minutes searching for your glasses when they're sitting right in front of you.

Ask me how I know.

I really love crocheting. It's like therapy for me, and if I ever had to stop for any reason, it would be very hard on me. I hope my eyesight and hands hold out for as long as the rest of my body does!

Don't Wait Like I Did

If you are experiencing pain in your wrists or hands, my recommendation is to go to the doctor and find out what you can do about it. They may have some suggestions for exercises or other ways to help prevent or manage carpal tunnel symptoms.

Unfortunately, it's something a lot of crocheters deal with, but I wouldn't put it off as I did. Don't ignore the pain and hope it magically disappears. Trust me, I tried that, and it didn't work!

Take care of yourself and those hands. We need them to keep doing what we love!