Have you felt cramps or pain in your hands while knitting? Or, do you have a loved knitter facing the issue? Then it’s time to explore ergonomic knitting needles. It is a special range of needles shaped in a square or cubic with comfort in mind that allows a better grip. So, does this mean that not all needles are comfortable? On the contrary, all knitting needles are designed for smooth and easy knitting, but ultimately it all depends on the knitter. As we all are different, so are our knitting needles and our style to hold the needle and work on our projects. But, ergonomic needles are special tools providing the solution to pain and injury for knitters.
Why Do You Need Ergonomic Knitting Needles?
Knitting means repetitive movement of your hands and fingers. The repetition can however lead to hand and wrist problems. Knitting can cause pain, numbness, and even a loss of dexterity. Arthritis is also a medical condition that prevents people from knitting due to pain and discomfort. Or, these problems can get aggravated with knitting. And, so to continue with your loved art, we need ergonomic knitting needles. Their very design is the key to avoiding injury and pain.
Unlike the typical knitting needles, they have a flat surface, as their shape is a square or a cube. Even when you do not have issues or pain in your hands and wrists, you still can use ergonomic needles. The needles can reduce the pain of repetitive strain injury or even avoid it before it comes up.
The Best Ergonomic Needles to save Your Knitting
Ergonomic needles save your knitting by allowing you to knit comfortably and pick up needles if you have an injury. Knitter’s Pride has two ergonomic knitting needles in brass and beechwood in standard US sizes. You might wonder how to measure the size of your cuboid-shaped needle? So, the needle is measured diagonally and can be sized in any needle gauge. Ergonomic needles are available in straight, double-pointed, fixed, and interchangeable circular styles. So, whether you want to knit a scarf or socks, shawls, or even blankets, you can knit without pain and are quite comfortable with the available options. Once you have switched to ergonomics there is no going back! An interchangeable set of cubic needles can make sure that you have everything covered for your different knitting projects.
The electroplated brass Knitter’s Pride Nova CubicsPlatinais has a lightweight, square-shaped design that assures smooth knitting. Many knitters have quoted that this is the only metal ergonomic needle they use. Besides the convenient design, they have really even stitches mainly due to the fact that holding on to the needles is so easy that you will be able to have consistent tension on your yarn. Another option from Knitter’s Pride isSymfonieCubicsmade of laminated beechwood. Many of our sock knitters say the cubic double points hold the yarn beautifully.
Knitter’s Pride also offers a range of circular needles in varieties of fixed circulars as well as interchangeable sets both of which are believed to be some of the best ergonomic needles.
Tips for Ergonomics in Knitting
If you are not looking to switch from your favorite knitting needles, there are other ways to use ergonomics in knitting outside of using ergonomic knitting needles. You can make a few changes and have amazing results. Here are a few of our tips.
Sitting position: Your sitting position affects your knitting, so make sure you are seated comfortably. It will do wonders if you adjust your position every now and again, to relieve tension and prevent pain. Sit with your feet on the floor and do not hunch over.
Arm position: When knitting, position your arms in a comfortable position. When your arms are comfortable, your hands and wrists will not have stress or injury making knitting enjoyable. You can also try some great hand and wrist stretches before a knitting session and even take breaks in between.
Lighter needles –Opt for needles that are lightweight, but in this case, circular needles help as well. For knitting larger projects, the circular needles help to distribute the weight of the piece easily, allowing some relief for your wrists and hands. A nice cable around 60cm or longer is perfect as it lets the project spread out on your lap nicely, giving extra weight relief.
Use the right yarn: The right yarn can do wonders. Heavy varieties of yarn can cause more pain in your fingers, wrists, and hands. They are more difficult to work with, and even the projects do weigh considerably more.
Knit in the light: Knitting in the light has wonderful benefits while any dim setting has many different negative effects. In the dark, you will find it difficult to read a pattern and even sit hunch over more, which can cause tension and pain in your back and neck. If you knit at night then look for a daylight lamp that lights up the place you knit.
To conclude, knitting shouldn’t hurt, it must be something you enjoy. So, before the pain gets in the way of your crafting, you should definitely try out ergonomic knitting needles from Knitter’s Pride. If you want to learn more, explore our blog on what is the best material for knitting needles.
