Taking Care of Your Crochet Hands

I've been crocheting a lot (and I mean A LOT) lately and I thought about how to make sure my hands are still okay for the next years of my life for crocheting. I fear the day when I would stop crocheting just because I developed some complication from crocheting too much :p I need to start taking preventive action before I experience any pain or numbness in my hands or arms.

I'm pretty sure some crocheters out there have blogged about this topic, so I found these:

1. Renee Blixt: She has her recommendations on how to prevent aches and pains.

2. Racheal & Leah: They have listed six hand exercises/stretches that help loosen finger joint muscles. And yes, they have pictures of stretching hands that go with it :) They're not doctors, so there's also a disclaimer.

3. Cheryl Dennett (Yahoo! Voices): She provided tips on how you can be comfortable while crocheting. She even mentioned that there are craft stores that sell therapeutic gloves or braces that can be worn while crocheting (not sexy).

I got curious how a therapeutic glove looks like. I found this one from the Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Website:

This is hardcore. I don't know how hardcore I need to be for me to start wearing this.

4. Kat Nelson: She's a massage therapist AND a crocheter - 'nuff said :) After consulting her doctor for pain in her elbow and wrist, she was told that she needed surgery and was advised to give up crocheting (nnnooohhhh). Refusing to give up on crochet, she used a massage technique called trigger point therapy and claimed success in eliminating the pain. There's a disclaimer, of course.

5. Janie: She's a needlework hobbyist and was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel. Like Kat Nelson, she refused to get surgery. So she resorted to wearing a specialized hand brace called, "Carpal Solution."