There is nothing more satisfying than completing an embroidery or other type of sewing project by hand from start to finish and seeing the final tangible product you’ve 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 of the injury is called a “repetitive stress injury” (RSI). You’ve most likely heard of this, but in case you haven’t, let me introduce it. Repetitive stress injuries occur when someone performs the same tasks over and over. Repetition puts 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 alleviate the discomfort is to completely stop the offending tasks until the body recovers.

Repetitive movements, such as hand and wrist movements associated with hand embroidery and sewing, can cause RSI. Generally, hand embroidery and hand sewing involve the repetitive motions of passing 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 on 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 stitch, and do other types of stitching. For example, you should never do any kind 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 fist opening and closing exercise is very effective. Unfortunately, however, there is no sure cure for RSI. And if you are ever affected by the RSI attack, your best remedy is to immediately stop the sutures until your tendons and muscles have time to heal. For pain, you can take an anti-inflammatory medicine and rest the area. If the pain does not heal on its own, you should seek the help of a medical professional. It is advisable to always check with your doctor and get his approval before taking any anti-inflammatory medication.

When embroidering and other types of sewing, it is important to take all possible precautions to avoid RSIs. In addition to the periodic breaks, hand and wrist, and stretches mentioned in the exercise paragraph above, there are other precautions you can take to avoid RSIs. For example, you can adapt a suitable way to handle your needle and project from the beginning. When you are 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 it lessens the impact 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 taught fabric between your fingers.

The worst offense that inevitably invites RSI’s attack is wearing a very small cloth. This requires the overwhelming task of trying to get the needle in the right place, resulting in repeatedly tightening the muscles in the hand and fingers and holding them in this terribly uncomfortable position for extended periods of time, increasing the risk of contracting. LER. Avoid this by using a larger weave fabric. With the larger holes in the fabric, you don’t have to be as precise to make your stitches. The end result is that the muscles of the hand and fingers remain more relaxed.

When sewing by hand, it is important to limit the length of the threads you are using. Using a thread that is too long causes you to constantly reach out to pull the thread through the fabric. But by using a shorter thread for sewing, you won’t have to stretch your arm as much. It is true that you will have to get a 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 arms and shoulders.

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 every stitch, you can prevent repetitive stress injuries to your shoulder and upper arm.

After you’ve been embroidering or sewing for about half an hour, stop and, if you can, get up and walk for a minute or two, gently swinging your arms and hands. See how you feel. If there is tension in your muscles. If so, you are most likely suffering from RSI in this area. Take the time to understand why you feel pain in this area and what you can do to avoid it in the future.

Also, before going 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 stretching can do wonders in preventing RSIs.

If you currently suffer from LER or develop it in the future, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to mean the end of your seams forever. Take enough time to rest and recover and think of ways you could have slowed down your hand, wrist, finger, and shoulder movements to avoid RSI, and when you’re ready to start sewing again, modify your movements appropriately. to avoid any outbreak. -RSI suppressions. But if you’re still in pain, it’s time to see your doctor.