There is nothing more satisfying than completing an embroidery or other type of hand sewing project from start to finish and seeing the tangible end product you have created, especially when you love to sew. However, it is important to realize that repetitive sewing-related tasks can cause hand and wrist injuries. The actual name for the injury is called “repetitive strain injury” (RSI). Chances are you’ve heard of this, but in case you haven’t, let me introduce it to you. Repetitive stress injury occurs when someone performs the same tasks over and over again. Repetition causes strain on the muscles and tendons in the part of your body that performs the repetitive tasks. This stress causes inflammation and discomfort that can become so acute that the only way to relieve it is to stop the offending tasks altogether until the body heals.

Repetitive motions, such as hand and wrist movements associated with hand embroidery and sewing, can cause RSI. In general, hand embroidery and sewing involves the repetitive motions of drawing a thread through the fabric from front to back, back to front, and holding the fabric in place to do so. Both of these actions can cause RSI in the hands and wrist.

The good news is that RSI can be avoided by making a few simple changes to the way you embroider, hand-sew, and do other types of sewing. For example, you should never engage in any type of sewing for long periods without taking regular breaks. During these breaks, you should gently stretch your hand, wrist, and fingers. A simple and effective manual exercise of opening and closing the fist is very effective. Unfortunately, however, there is no sure cure for RSI. And if you ever find yourself hit by the onslaught of RSI, your best remedy is to stop sewing immediately until your tendons and muscles have time to heal. For pain, you can take an anti-inflammatory medication and rest the area. If the pain does not go away on its own, you should seek help from a medical professional. It’s a good idea to always check with your doctor and get his or her approval before taking any anti-inflammatory medication.

As you get involved in embroidery and other types of sewing, it’s important to take every possible precaution to avoid RSI. In addition to the regular breaks, hand and wrist exercises, and stretches mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are other precautions you can take to avoid RSI. For example, you can adapt a proper way of handling your needle and project from the start. When you’re doing embroidery and other types of sewing, use a frame to secure your work in place; it is much easier on your non-dominant hand and decreases the rush of RSI. You can use a floor frame or a simple lap frame. Both will allow you to work without having to sit down and hold the fabric between your fingers.

The worst offense that inevitably invites the onslaught of RSI is to use a very small weave fabric. This requires the daunting task of trying to get the needle in the right place, resulting in repetitive strain on the muscles of the hand and fingers and keeping them in this terribly uncomfortable position for prolonged periods of time, increasing the risk to suffer RSI. Avoid this by using a larger knit fabric. With the larger holes in the fabric, you don’t have to be as precise to make the stitches. The end result is that the muscles of the hand and fingers remain more relaxed.

When sewing by hand, it’s important to limit the length of the threads you’re using. Using a thread that is too long causes you to constantly stretch your arm to pull the thread through the fabric. But by using a shorter thread to sew, you won’t have to stretch your arm as far. It is true that you will have to get new thread more often, a lot of unnecessary work, but just think of the benefits of avoiding RSIs in the muscles and tendons of your arm and shoulder.

Another thing you can do when sewing is to rest your elbows on the arms of your chair or on a pillow. By not moving your upper arm with each stitch, you can prevent repetitive stress injuries to your shoulder and upper arm.

After you have been embroidering or sewing for about half an hour, stop and, if you can, get up and walk around for a minute or two, gently swinging your arms and hands. Notice how you feel. If there is tension in the muscles. If so, it is very likely that this area is where you would suffer an RSI. Take the time to understand why you are experiencing pain in this area and what you can do to prevent it in the future.

Also, before you get back to your sewing project, take a moment to close your eyes and release any stress you may have. Simple relaxation techniques along with exercises and stretches can work wonders to prevent RSI.

If you currently suffer from RSI or develop it in the future, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to spell the end of your sewing forever. Give yourself plenty of time to rest and recover and think of ways you could have decreased your hand, wrist, finger, and shoulder movements to avoid RSI, and when you’re ready to start sewing again, modify your movements. properly to avoid any outbreak. -ups of RSI. But if you’re still experiencing pain, it’s time to see your doctor.