Ergonomics: crafts and hobbies

Do you have a passion? A hobby or sport that you just love to do? Whether you golf or knit, play tennis or quilt, a hobby can cause repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) just as different types of work can.

In fact, some may put you at a higher risk of developing a muscle, tendon, or ligament problem. Think about it. Unless you live in a part of the world/country that is perpetually summer, if you golf or play tennis, for example, chances are, you go several months without playing. Then, when you do start again, you probably don’t warm up quite as well as you should. Right?

If you’re a quilter, like I am, you can find yourself sitting in front of your sewing machine or hoop, sewing or quilting away for as long as you can steal the time, forgetting to stretch those fingers and relax the muscles. And, really, have you ever heard of warm up exercises before quilting?

The problem is, we have to take these things seriously. A friend of mine developed severe carpal tunnel from cake decorating. It was a hobby that she picked up and made into a small home business but had to stop because of the pain in her hands.

If you’re a quilter, watch how long you stand at an ironing board. Put a stool in front of you to rest one leg, slightly in front of you. If you’re at your sewing machine, take time to stretch and move around. If you’re a knitter or you crochet, watch how your hands feel and take a break regularly. Open and close your hands so you use other muscles.

If your thing is sports, make sure you warm up properly and listen to your body. Tennis elbow (which can happen in golf too) is avoidable if you don’t stress your arms.

Want to see how tennis elbow happens? Click on the TV screen to see a What Causes Tennis Elbow.

Do you have any hobby or sports related RSIs? Tell us about it in our contest post: Work Safe, Play Safe.

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