• ~ My Favorite Cross Stitch Supplies & Tools ~
  • Shirts
  • Tutorials & Reports
    • Tips for Stitching on Black Fabric
    • Cross Stitching Over Two on Evenweave or Linen Fabrics
    • How to Use Counting Pins
    • How to Make a French Knot Easier
    • More Articles and Resources
    • Printable Sheets
  • Newsletter
  • About
    • What I’m Cross Stitching
    • Contact Loretta
  • Facebook Group

Stitching the Night Away

Cross Stitch

  • Pattern Shop
  • Stitchalongs!
    • Big List of Cross Stitch SALs to Join in 2025
    • 2024 Ornament Stitchalong
    • Big List of Cross Stitch SALs to Join in 2024
    • 2019 Mystery Stitch-a-Long Sampler Pattern with Cross Stitch and Blackwork
  • Free Patterns
  • Fabric Calculator
  • Stitchqueries
  • Printable Sheets

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Stitching

This blog post has been sitting in my mind for awhile now. I’m sure you noticed my recent lack of posts… that has been because my carpal tunnel is flared up quite a lot lately. I even had to write this blog post in shifts, so I haven’t been stitching. And the truth is that makes me really sad and very frustrated, literally. Stitching is very therapeutic for me, it’s my stress relief and relaxation. I tend to get a little cranky when I’m not stitching.

A bit about of history here. My “day job” is as a transcriptionist and I also run a few niche websites online, which of course means lots of typing and mouse clicking during the day. When I get to my downtime I want to stitch, but I also know that I need to rest my wrist at least a little bit, or I’m already too uncomfortable to do any stitching. People always assume that I ended up with carpal tunnel because of stitching or typing, and it was neither. I first developed the injury way back in 1998 running a rivet machine on an assembly line. That’s not to say that stitching and typing were innocent in the matter, but they were not the cause.

I don’t know if it’s been the weather or why it’s been so aggravated lately, but it is making me quite the miserable person. And that got me thinking I can’t be the only one with this crazy problem happening. The doctors have offered up pain killers and surgery options, both of which I declined for now. Pain killers make me feel like a doofus during the day and I’m afraid I’ll be one of the people whose wrist feels worse after surgery than it did beforehand (and that seems to be a large percentage of people.)

I’ve always done exercises to help with the carpal tunnel symptoms … and here’s a video that might help you if you are experiencing this:

In addition to doing various exercises I have two different wrist braces, one that is softer and more flexible (Imak Smart Glove ) that I use when I’m at the computer and typing. I can’t type for very long without wearing it. Then I also have a firm brace that I wear on really bad days and occasionally at night after a really long day of working on something, and sometimes when I am stitching, that is an ACE Deluxe Wrist Stabilizer with the metal bar to keep things in place. (Note about the wrist stabilizer: There’s another brand that looks very much like the Ace, but it is not as high quality and the fabric on the off brand one is quite itchy!)


These are the two products I mentioned above that I own that I use every day:

A few quick stitching tips I’ve learned over the years with this issue….
Stitching with a floor or lap stand helps greatly because you don’t have to try to grip the hoop or q-snap. If you can get used to stitch two-handed (one hand on top, one hand on the bottom) all the better, there’s almost no bending and turning of your wrist that way.

We talked about using a stitching stand in this post quite a bit: Stitchqueries, Do you use a stitching stand?

The most important thing is to listen to your body if you are experiencing symptoms of numbness or pain in your wrist, hand, or arm. Our bodies give us these signals for a reason and it’s a good idea to pay attention. If symptoms continue on a regular basis, mention it to your doctor and discuss possible causes and treatments.

I hope this information has been helpful to you. I would also very much like to hear from you if you are experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms. Leave a comment below and share your tips with us, ask a question, or just add a “me too” to the conversation with your story.

Happy (and hopefully pain free) Stitching!
Loretta

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or sharing on your favorite social network. Thank you!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Related

Filed Under: Articles and Resources Tagged With: carpal tunnel syndrome

About Loretta

Passionate stitcher. Mom of four amazing young men. Wife to a comic book geek who makes me smile every day. Transcriptionist by trade. Gluten-free by necessity. Writer at heart. Seeker of knowledge and reader of novels. Dreamer of big colorful creative dreams.

Comments

  1. Tammy via STNA's Facebook Fan Page says

    September 8, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    I know what it is like to suffer with Carpal Tunnel. Not fun. Hope you get relief again soon.

    Reply
  2. Lisa Marie Mary says

    September 9, 2011 at 7:51 am

    So sorry that you’re hurting. Very not cool. I’ve worried about getting this, too, but so far, so good. *knockwood* I can really relate to your frustration – it can just suck sometimes, being at the mercy of pains we can get rid of. A friend of mine in Dallas – one of the Punkymoms – just finally had her surgery done a week or so ago. She’d actually talked about it for years. I hope it works out for her – I didn’t realize it could be worse – or still bad – afterwards. Ugh.

    Love the way you turned this post around to be helpful – that’s awesome!!

    Reply
  3. Vicki says

    September 9, 2011 at 5:28 am

    I can totally understand and sympathize with you.

    Reply
  4. Joni says

    September 9, 2011 at 5:53 am

    I too have problems with my wrist/hand. Whether its from stitching (for close to 20 years now) or typing (working 45 hours a week) I really don’t know. What I do know is that it would take a LOT of pain for me to consider surgery.

    While walking through a hospital to meet my mom after her surgery someone stopped me in the hallway. I had my stitching in a clear plastic bag. The woman asked me about it and told me how she used to love cross stitching. Then she developed carpal tunnel. She opted for surgery and hadn’t been able to stitch since. As she walked away she told me if they ever suggest surgery–don’t do it.

    on the flip side my hair stylist had the surgery earlier this year. She said she’s been kicking herself for waiting so long to have it done.

    I guess the key is to make sure you have a really great surgeon. Personally, I wear my soft wrist brace 98% of the time I’m stitching. Not so much at work, but during bad times I will. Stitching is my sanity.

    Reply
    • loretta says

      September 9, 2011 at 10:46 am

      That is exactly how I feel! It’s been a really bad week for me, the pain is making me crazy but not enough to consider the surgery yet. I’ve had so many people tell me they regretted the surgery and can’t do things afterwards, I don’t want to take that chance. I’d rather need a Motrin now and then and still be able to work and stitch than to go through that.

      Reply
  5. Phil via STNA's Facebook Fan Page says

    September 9, 2011 at 8:52 am

    Am there. Not sure if this will help but what I use is called Mobic which is sort of like high powered Motrin and must be a script. Also I have found that positioning my hands at night when I sleep helps a LOT. In my case the wrist has to be raises a bit as if I were typing and the hand around pillow or other object that lets it curve like I am holding a large ball palm size. If I don’t do that, I sometimes wake and am missing a hand. By that I mean it is absolutely numb no feeling at all. Also sticking them under the electric blanket works wonders too.

    Reply
    • loretta says

      September 9, 2011 at 2:48 pm

      I find that heat actually aggravates it more if it’s flared up (but heat is good for my arthritis, so it’s a toss up of what part of my hand I want to be comfortable that day!)

      Reply
  6. Amy via STNA's Facebook Fan Page says

    September 9, 2011 at 9:18 am

    I type on the computer all day as well at work. Every now & then I get a pinch here & there but luckily nothing too bad. I think I have my keyboard and mouse set at good heights and angles & that helps!

    Reply
    • loretta says

      September 9, 2011 at 2:47 pm

      That’s a good tip Amy! ~ having your keyboard and mouse shelf at the right height is really important too. You should adjust your chair height if you’re an awkward angle, it will also help prevent you from getting symptoms.

      Reply
  7. Lori says

    September 14, 2011 at 9:47 am

    I tend to take a more holistic approach to aches and pains, especially chronic aches and pains. Have you tried high doses of Vitamin C? Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant and it works as a natural anti-inflammatory without the stomach upset caused by motrin.

    Reply
    • loretta says

      September 14, 2011 at 10:19 am

      I’ve used garlic as an anti-inflammatory, but I don’t think I’ve used VitC as of yet. Definitely making a note of that.

      Reply
  8. Carolyn says

    September 15, 2011 at 2:08 am

    Thanks Loretta for the brace recommendations! I too have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, had the surgery in both hands (TWICE) and will not have that surgery again. After two years unemployed, I finally found a job as in a doctor’s clinic registering patients…so I’m on the computer more! And decided to pick up my passion for sewing by incorporating cross stitching, knitting and sewing clothes for my grand-daughter. So yeah, my wrists are painful. However, “moderation” is the key word here. I find if I take a night off from stitching or stitch for a limited amount of time, I can continue with one of my favorite pastimes without eliminating the “sewing bug” all together…which I did 10 years ago.

    Reply
  9. Leslie via STNA's Facebook Fan Page says

    October 28, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Stay Safe Loretta!

    Reply
  10. Liz says

    October 28, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    I feel your pain. I don’t know if I have carpal, but I get sharp pains in my wrist every so often. I think I bought the Ace brace you like to help. I had work get an ergonomic keyboard for me and last Christmas I received a lap stand as a gift. Both have helped tremendously. I’ve been putting off a Christmas Santa stitching because it is on perforated paper and I’m just dreading having to grip the paper for so long.

    Reply
  11. Sandra via STNA's Facebook Fan Page says

    October 28, 2012 at 11:47 pm

    Hi Loretta, I have to wear a soft wrist and hand support thing when I stitch, knit or crochet. My wrist tends to go numb, then ache. I also use Icy Hot to help the pain, as I don’t like pain killers. Thanks for posting about carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Reply
  12. Marlo Pullen says

    February 16, 2018 at 9:00 am

    Hi Loretta, Love your blogs 🙂
    I too suffer from Carpal Tunnel. I have switched to a floor stand that I can setup to hold scrolls, rings & q-snaps. It also flips so I can work in stitches on the back. This has help a great deal. I’m in accounting so I use the keyboard and calculator all day long. I use my wrist brace and do exercises as well. I had posted a short video on my Facebook page showing how to do a few exercises and I do them every day. What a difference these few things have made. Thank you for all your tips and wisdom. Feel better soon so you can get back to your mind cleansing.

    Reply
    • Loretta says

      February 16, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      Using a stand is definitely a huge help! It’s literally a relief to not have to hold onto the hoop or q-snap and worry about losing my grip or cramping up in pain. I love my American Dream lap stand, I probably wouldn’t get any stitching done without it.

      Reply
  13. Vikki says

    November 15, 2018 at 4:52 pm

    Do any of you also have an ached and pain in your arm!

    Reply
    • Loretta says

      November 15, 2018 at 8:46 pm

      Absolutely, during flare ups the pain can radiate up your entire arm and even to your shoulder depending on the severity.

      Reply

Comments are always welcome and appreciated....Cancel reply

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Amazon

Don’t Miss a Stitch!

Your cart is empty
Visit The Shop

Free Cross Stitch Fabric Calculator Apps on the web, available for iPhone, Android, and Kindle
==> Click here for app info!

Categories

Free Guide to Evenweaves

Download this free guide about how to cross stitch on evenweaves and linens

If you haven't taken the plunge from aida fabric to evenweave fabric, now is the time to do so.

Expand your project options and enjoy something new.

retta719

cross stitcher ✂, writer ✍️ , transcriptionist ⌨️, dabbler in all things creative ✂ , mom, wife, finder of lost shoes....

Didn't like how crochet practice was looking, frog Didn't like how crochet practice was looking, frogged it all out, now I have a big yarn ball to start over again ...
The annual list of stitchalongs is ready on the we The annual list of stitchalongs is ready on the website https://www.stitchingthenightaway.com/big-list-cross-stitch-sals-2025/ 

If you know about a stitchalong that hasn't been mentioned, be sure to comment on the post and let us know! 

#stitchalong 
#stitchingthenightaway 
#crossstitch
https://www.stitchingthenightaway.com/2024-ornamen https://www.stitchingthenightaway.com/2024-ornament-stitchalong/ 
#stitchingthenightaway
#crossstitching
New sampler pattern coming soon at Stitching the N New sampler pattern coming soon at Stitching the Night Away..... I'm about two-thirds of the way done with stitching the model. Looking forward to sharing the final pattern soon. 
#crossstitch 
#stitchingthenightaway #crossstitchsampler
Follow on Instagram
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy for Stitching the Night Away
  • Sitemap

Copyright © 2001–2025 Loretta Oliver & Stitching the Night Away
...
I may be an affiliate for products that are recommended throughout this website and as such if you purchase those items through links on this site it may result in me earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made there. This website and its author are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.