10 Simple Hand Exercises for Knitters and Crocheters to Prevent Pain & Strain

Working for hours on knitting or crochet projects sounds like bliss, but long hours with yarn and hooks can sometimes leave your hands, wrists, and fingers feeling sore. Simple daily stretches and exercises can make all the difference, helping prevent pain, stiffness, or even conditions like carpal tunnel. Here are easy hand exercises and tips every crafter can use.

Why Hand Exercises Matter for Knitters & Crocheters

Crafting is a wonderful, mindful hobby, but the repetitive motions can strain small muscles and joints. Adding short stretches before, during, and after your projects helps:

• Improve circulation
  

• Reduce tension and stiffness

• Prevent long-term injuries like tendonitis or carpal tunnel

• Keep your hands strong for years of happy making
  

Warm-Up Stretched Before Knitting or Crocheting

Before you begin to knit or crochet, start by doing a few warm-up exercises. This will get your hand muscles ready for grasping the needles (or hook), holding the yarn and also balancing the project you’re working on.

The exercises you can start with, are:

• Clenching your hands while holding them in front of you with the palms turned downward. Hold your hands in the clenched position for 5 to 10 seconds before stretching your hands out. Repeat five times with each hand.
• Next, stretch your fingers with your palm facing away from your body, use your other hand to gently press against your outstretched fingers to stretch your hand towards your body. Hold for five seconds before repeating with the other hand. Repeat five times with each hand.
• Make circles with your hands, while your arms are bent at a 45 degree angle. Rotate your wrists steadily in order to exercise and lubricate your wrist joint. Let your forearms, elbows and shoulders remain still while rotating your wrists. First circle five times in one direction before switching and turning your wrists in the other direction. Repeat the whole exercise five times as well.
• The “mattress stitch exercise” or “block” is another one that is not only great when knitting or crocheting, but also if you need to type or write a lot. To do this exercise, interlace your fingers with your palms facing towards you. Rotate both hands so your palms are facing away from your body before straightening your arms and “pushing” your hands away from your body. Hold your hands in the stretched position for about ten seconds and then relax. Repeat three to five times slowly.

Now that you’ve warmed up your muscles and joints, it’s time to knit and crochet to your heart’s content.

Because these exercises are so easy and quick to do, you can even do them while you’re waiting for water to boil and make yourself your favorite cup of tea while you’re at it!

Tips

• Take breaks every 30-45 minutes to do these stretches. You can set a timer to remind you until these breaks become second nature
• Maintain good posture with relaxed shoulders
• Use ergonomic hooks or needles when possible
• Don’t forget to stretch your legs as well! Get up and walk around the room, fetch some water to drink or even play with your pets for a while.

Here are also some videos that you can follow and that shows you how to do these exercises.

10 Hand exercises for Knitting and Crochet!

Hand Stretches for Knitting

Keep Crafting Comfortably

Your hands are your most important tools as a maker. Just a few minutes of stretching keeps them happy, so you can knit and crochet for hours with less pain and more joy. Pair these exercises with soft, comfortable yarns like our Cotton to the Core or GentleBliss, and you’ll be crafting comfortably all season long!