In the past month, I had a bit of scare. My wrists started to hurt. For me, that sort of thing could be career ending!
When I realised that it was definitely a thing, and I wasn’t imagining it, I was very scared. So, off to the doctor I went. He diagnosed – and this is a wonderful mouthful – de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Impressive name, isn’t it?!
I was actually so relieved that it wasn’t Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He prescribed some anti-inflammatories, and told me not to do anything that made it worse. Easier said than done, seeing you don’t know that it’s going to make it worse until it is worse…
He said not to have physiotherapy, because a physiotherapist wouldn’t do much to help, and may make it worse.
With the use of the anti-inflammatories it has definitely been improving. I’ve been careful to stop stitching if it starts hurting. I’ve been using my embroidery hoop on a stand (I normally do anyway!) and alternating between having my dominant (left hand) and my non-dominant hand on top.
The Gymnast broke another finger about six weeks ago, and was under the care of a hand surgeon and a hand therapist (physiotherapist specialising in hands and wrists). When she was there, getting the all clear last week, I had a chat with the hand therapist about what I do.
I realise that for me, good hand and wrist health is absolutely imperative if I want to have a long and enjoyable career in embroidery. I explained what I do, and why I was wondering if they could help me – to see what I do when I embroider, and show me what I can do better in terms of movement. She assured me that they would be able to assist me.
So this morning, I went to see the hand therapist. She agreed with the doctor’s diagnosis of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. She showed me that some of the shapes I was able to make with my hands were not quite what they should be, and that continuing to use them in that way would mean that I’d be likely to develop arthritis in my thumbs as I got older. She also said that I have quite a lot of hypermobility in some places (which is not a good thing for stability of joints). I suggested this might be one reason why my daughter is such a good gymnast – because she inherited that hypermobility from me.
We’re thinking long term here – I want to be using my hands well so that I can continue using them, without pain, for a very long time yet!
She’s given me some exercises to do, which will help strengthen some of the muscles. While getting me to do them, I was thinking how appallingly badly I was at doing them. I could get hardly any of the movement she wanted to me to make at all. Some of the movement was barely perceptible. Conversely, she said I was catching on extremely quickly, whereas other people could take weeks to make the improvement I had already made while with her. She suggested this was another reason why my daughter might be such a good gymnast!
She then got me to put the needle into my hand and make the same shapes again, that she’d been trying to get me to make before. I couldn’t do it! So we dispensed with that, and I’ll continue to sew as I always have, but regularly do my exercises, and when I’m better at making those shapes without the needle, we’ll try it with the needle. And when I do, it will definitely slow me down as I try to do it with the right hand shapes!
It’ll be slow progress, but as long as I regularly do my exercises without cheating, I’ll make progress. I officially give you permission to email me, comment here, or comment on my FB page to ask “Have you done your exercises yet today, Yvette?!” I’m investing in a long and enjoyable career, and while it will be hard, it will be totally worth it!
I have been at it a long time as well. 25 years ago
I went on a needlepoint marathon and ended up
with my wrist and thumb in acute pain. After
Getting a cortisone injection – even more painful
I had my wrist in a brace for 3 weeks. Once I started again
It was for no more than 20 min at a time. Then
I soaked my wrist in warm water and then cold water.
It was a year before I could stitch for an hour.
Since then – I do the following;
1) take a break every 30 min
2) never stitch (knit, etc)more than 2 hours. Rest my wrist
In warm then cold water. I do not stitch again for
2 hours. I can do 3 2-hour sessions a day this way
3) at least twice a week I will sleep with the brace on m
My wrist to give it support and rest.
4) always stop the moment you feel pain
5) try using the elastic support wrist gloves
( fingers free) when you stitch
6) Anti-inflammatories are a wonderful
Pain relief
7) once you have hurt the wrist, you will be on
some sort of regiment forever if you want
to continue to stitch
Dear me, Darcy! You did do bad things to your wrist! Mine is not that bad at all and is possibly a different injury. It is already righting itself, with no particular treatment, just time (and I did have the anti-inflammatories for the first few weeks).
My seeing the hand therapist is to stop future injuries, and not to treat this one as it needs no treatment. So hopefully I’ll never get to the stage you sadly got to. I am glad that you have found what works for your injury and allows you to keep stitching.
Dear Yvette – So sorry to read about your wrist and I do hope it rights itself very quickly. I’m also hypermobile and I suggest another activity you may need to watch – reading. I find just the weight of a book, and also the action of holding it open to read if it tends to shut itself, is enough to put a bit of strain on my wrist and thumb if I read for too long at a stretch. Darcy is right to suggest short sessions and then a break.
Thanks Elaine. I’ve been lamenting lately that I never get the chance to read anymore. I’m always too busy sewing. I will keep your warnings in mind for when I do find time again. I have been thinking of seeing if our local library has audio books – then I could get back to “reading” again!
Ouch! I had to look up the difference between this and carpal tunnel, and other than one is the nerve and one is tendons, it sounds like treatment is much the same? I’m still not sure how they decide which is the right diagnosis though. I’m glad you didn’t let it go on too long and have a good plan in place. Have you thought about stitching with your non-dominant hand? Maybe not on the same project as your normal stitching hand, but if not stitching makes you too twitchy…
Do keep to your exercises, and I hope the pains go away soon!
A good hand therapist is your friend. DO YOUR EXERCISES!
I had to have surgery for de Quervains in 2001. That was not fun.
Oh dear! Yes, you need to take care now to ensure you can stitch for many years to come. I’ve had a cortisone injection into a finger and it’s not nice at all (thankfullymit solved my problem though). And last year I saw a hand therapist about a tendon issue in my hand caused by too much hand quilting. I’ve learnt my lesson now and stop before my hands get sore. I rotate through different styles of stitching so I don’t do too much of any one thing. I hope your hand improves quickly now you’re getting help.
Hi Gail, I don’t know what the treatment is for carpal tunnel, so I’m not sure about the sameness or difference of treatment! 🙂 The odd thing about this is that the pain is in my non-dominant hand! Switching to using it would not be a fun idea! I can stitch with my right hand (non-dominant), but it is slow. That’s how I demonstrate for right-handed students in my classes.
Thank you Rachel. Yes mum, I’ll be good and do them. 🙂
Oh you poor thing, Kathryn. The doctor assured me that mine was not a surgery case. It isn’t that bad, thankfully. I will do my exercises – thank you for the reminder. 🙂
Thank you Wendy. It is good to hear all these cautionary tales!
Oh I am sorry Yvette, pain is always scary! I’m glad that your diagnosis is a positive one on the whole and that you are recovering. It is so easy to take mobility for granted, so that sounds like a really good idea to plan ahead with the therapy you’re getting. Hope you feel more comfortable soon! 🙂
Thank you Kathryn. I’m making good progress!
Yvette, I’m so sorry to hear that, but you’ve taken a proactive approach. I know that it can be frustrating at times to feel like you are making slow improvement. The key here is that you are taking steps and that there is improvement. Just like one single stitch is not a huge advancement to finishing a piece, but several stitches over time gets you a beautiful finished piece. I’ve had to keep that in mind coming back from a couple of injuries and now carry around an empty old wooden thread spool as a reminder of that analogy (cause an empty spool means a lot of thread has been stitched).
Thanks Jodi. That is a beautiful analogy. 🙂