Why You Might Feel Stiff When You Stand Up After Knitting
By Yvonne Poon of Gamer Babe Designs, Guest Blogger
How often has this happened for you:
You settle into your seat with your knitting project and before you know it, it's a few hours later.
Maybe you've been watching a stitch pattern or the shape of your project unfold. Perhaps you've reached a part of the pattern you've been looking forward to.
Or you might simply be enjoying the yarn, the rhythm of the stitches, and the time you're spending doing something you enjoy.
There may be other reasons you keep going.
You might be working through a stitch pattern or trying to reach a certain point in the pattern. If you're working on a test knit or other deadline, you may be very focused on making progress.
Whatever the reason you keep going, you finish a row and think, "just one more row".
Several rows later, "just one more - no, for real, this time".
And so it goes.
And because you're most likely sitting, continuing to knit also means continuing to sit.
Now, you may like to walk and knit which is great!
But generally speaking, most knitters are sitting while they're knitting, and that's the perspective I'm coming from for this blog post.
What's happening?
When you're sitting and knitting, several areas of your body remain in the same general position.
Your hips and possibly knees are bent while you're sitting. Your elbows are bent, and your arms are in front of your body holding your project.
You're generally facing forward, with your eyes looking at your project. You may not move your legs much at all.
These are all normal body positions while you're knitting.
The thing to notice is how long areas of your body remain in those positions.
Maybe you shift your legs occasionally or tilt your head to one side to give your neck a bit of a stretch.
But for the most part, as you knit, your body stays in the same general position without doing a lot of movement.
And then you might feel the result of that lack of movement when you get up after knitting.
Your hips or back might feel a little stiff when you stand. You may notice some tension in your neck or shoulders.
If you knit for a few hours several days a week, your body returns to many of the same positions again and again over months and years. Over time, the stiffness or tension has become a familiar part of getting up after knitting.
What you can do?
Taking breaks and moving interrupt the pattern of extended time spent in the same general position.
When I say "moving", you might think this is doing some walking to shake out your legs.
Yes, and this is important, for sure!
And just as important is intentional movement.
Intentional movement is choosing movements or stretches to do based on how your body is feeling or on the positions areas of your body may have been holding while you were knitting.
This involves moving an area several times or staying in a stretch for a bit so that those body areas can have a change from the held positions.
If your hips or back feel stiff when you stand, you might do a movement to loosen the stiffness.
If your neck and shoulders feel tense, you might do a stretch to help with the tension.
Not feeling any stiffness or tension?
You don't have to wait until you feel any of this to move or stretch!
Try these
Here are two movements you could try the next time you take a break from knitting (or anytime). Choose to do one or do them both!
Half-Kneeling Hip Stretch
For kneeling, use something for padding if needed.
Kneel on one knee, and place your other foot on the floor in front of you.
Keep your upper body upright and face forward.
Without arching your lower back, slowly shift your weight toward your front leg by bending your front knee.
Continue until you feel a stretch along the front of the hip or thigh of your kneeling leg.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position, switch legs, and repeat.
What this does: Sitting keeps your hips bent. This stretch straightens the hip of your kneeling leg and stretches the front of your hip and thigh.
Tip: Use a chair or wall for balance if needed.
Forward and Backward Arm Swings
Stand with your arms by your sides.
Swing both arms forward.
Swing both arms backward.
Continue swinging your arms forward and backward 6-8 times.
What this does: Your shoulders move very little, if at all, while you're knitting. These arm swings move your shoulders as you swing your arms in front of and behind you.
Tip: Let your arms swing naturally. You don't need to force them higher in front of you or farther behind you.
Moving differently and intentionally
Enjoying your project and becoming absorbed in your knitting are normal parts of the experience.
But when your attention is focused on your project, it can be very easy to keep going without realizing how much time has passed since you took a break and moved.
Taking breaks to move around is important. Intentional movements like these provide a contrast to sitting and knitting which is also important.
You can keep enjoying your knitting (and other crafting activities!) while making movement a part of those breaks. Take a break, move or stretch for a few minutes, and then get back to the project you're enjoying.
Knitting also involves your hands and wrists doing small, repeated movements. Maybe your hands or wrists feel tired or achy after doing those movements, especially over time.
The small, repeated movements are another normal part of knitting, and it's worth discussing separately. I'll come back to this topic in another post.
If you'd like more information about intentional movement for makers and movements you can try to help the stiffness and tension that can come from knitting, consider subscribing to my newsletter.
I'd love to have you join me in this journey!
Happy making + moving,
Yvonne 🧡
Disclaimer
The information contained in this post is for informational and educational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new movement or exercise practice or before making changes to your current routine. Stop if you feel any sharp or sudden pain.
Bio
Yvonne is the knit designer and technical editor behind Gamer Babe Designs. Her accessory designs combine creative details, careful construction, and familiar techniques used in unexpected ways. For aspiring and seasoned knitwear designers, she provides services and resources so that they can design, write, and publish patterns their followers will love and trust.
After experiencing recurring stiffness, soreness, and tension from long hours spent knitting, crafting, and working at a computer, she began learning more about how creative activities and work can affect the body. She now shares practical information and movement tips for makers who experience similar stiffness, soreness, or tension from making and crafting.
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