Back pain....

[workingmom]

Good morning! I have a question for you? Do you ever suffer a back pain after being all that time cutting and punching, and stamping??? Please tell me I'm not the only one!!!!!!

How do you handle it? I have not read anything on the forums about it? Do you have a special chair? a cushion? do you take pills :-D ?

Please tell me; my back is killing me :twisted:

[jackie1]

You are not alone, I suffer from back pain alot. I did just get an office chair for at my craft table, it has the lower lumbar support in it, so far it is working alright, now I just have to figure out what to do with the aches between my shoulders from hunching over the craft table.

[workingmom]

I have an office chair too, but still I can not stand up after an afternoon of working.... and I know about that pain between the shoulders OMG!!!

[debbiemom23cs]

Once, I went to a shoebox swap and stamped like 35 cards in one night. The next day, the pain between my shoulders was so bad, I almost couldn't move my arms.

I have an office chair, too. Plus sometimes I stand to cut and sometimes I sit. I think the key is to move around alittle and stretch. Make sure your not slouching (which I do)

Hope that helps cause the back pain is the pits.

[sprtchick]

Yes...I get it all the time..plus I have a ruptured disk at C 5/6. My lovely hubby got me one of those Shiatsu full back massagers for my craft chair...it does help with the heat and massage when I take a minute to acutally sit back and use it. Very nice indeed.
blessings.

[Menolly13]

I get knots between my shoulder blades if I am hunched over a project for too long. I also get wrist pain. My husband used to get horrible back pain if he sat at his desk for too long and we figured out it was his chair. If you are having lower back pain, then maybe you need a new chair too?

[MSBetsyZ]

I think the important thing is to change positions frequently. This is true regardless of what you're doing! Sometimes standing is good, provided you have a high enough table that you aren't having to bend over too much. If you do stand, try and have a small box or footstool so you can take turns with elevating one foot.

I can't stand and stamp for long anymore, so I do actually wind up switching chairs, doing a sit/stand/sit routine, or just getting up and walking around the room to stretch. It really does help...

[workingmom]

Thanks! I'll try the sit\stand\walk around rutine. I had to have some pain killers yesterday, the weather is not helping me either; and I still need to finish a lot of cards!!!!

[Mrs. Mac]

I'm constanting changing positions. My table is countertop height so I usually stand when I'm cutting and stamping....and I have a counter height chair I sit on when I'm coloring or just assembling. And I'm always moving around grabbing things off shelves or across my table. Keeps the bloor flowing and the muscles from getting stuck.

[GWTW Junkie]

I got a fabulously padded desk chair for Christmas, which I just love. I don't get back pain anymore, but I have had arm/wrist aches and finger numbness, so I cranked the chair up as high as it will go on the advice of many here, and now my hands rarely bother me.
One thing I have done is have my cardstock on the opposite wall from my desk, which forces me to get up regularly. Sometimes it's a pain, but I'm sure it helps with circulation and position change.
The price we pay for being crafty!! LOL

[craftjunkiesc]

I feel your pain! I have terrible lower back pain. I do have a great chair in my craft room and I'm sure that helps. I recently got a drafting table to use when I'm coloring, painting, etc. Raising it up helps keep me from hunching over so much. I agree with the others about taking a break and keeping moving. A nice rest on a heating pad does wonders as well.

Hope you get some relief soon.

[kphorse]

I too have very bad back pains. I've had surgery and will be having more including hip replacement.

I have learned that one, I must have a very good, ergo friendly chair, perfect height for my wrists and hands and that getting up and standing and walking are all very important to my stamping.

I ice between my shoulders every evening and then hot shower to relieve more stress.

The most important thing my doctor says, Sit up as straight as you can as much as you can and take breaks.

[queen bee]

Not back pain but I actually had to have surgery after the holidays one year on my thumb. I "over used" that little guy and got acute trigger finger. By the time Christmas arrived it was locked up and couldn't move without a very painful snap/pop!

[MSBetsyZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by workingmom

Thanks! I'll try the sit\stand\walk around rutine. I had to have some pain killers yesterday, the weather is not helping me either; and I still need to finish a lot of cards!!!!

Oh, no, lol! Can't have that! I can tell you from experience that when you do that, things that look straight tonight will DEFINITELY NOT look so straight in the morning...:rolleyes:

[momis mama]

i have had a back injury that causes me chronic back pain...


altho it hasn't stopped me from stamping!

i do find that it helps (ME) to not sit the whole time i am stamping. i will sit for a while and then i stand for a while. sometimes i have to just STOP for a while too. and the weather is always a factor for me too!


good luck! and i hope you find a solution that works for you

[Jaclyn Elisha]

I suffer from chronic back pain from a horrible car accident. After trying medication, physio, massage, surgery, chiro and pain therapy the best advise is to take lots of breaks. Sit for however long you can and then take a break, walk around or lie down until your pain decreases. I try to do most of my crafting at a counter standing up. Good luck, I hope you will be able to find something that works for you.

[okstamper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs. Mac

I'm constanting changing positions. My table is countertop height so I usually stand when I'm cutting and stamping....and I have a counter height chair I sit on when I'm coloring or just assembling. And I'm always moving around grabbing things off shelves or across my table. Keeps the bloor flowing and the muscles from getting stuck.

That's exactly what I do. I have some herinated discs so I have to be constantly moving around. I have real issues when I have to cut fabric when I make my quilts:( Then it really hurts to straighten up.

Bonnie

[star]

Some good advice has been given. As a Physical Therapist I would repeat frequently changing your position, BUT!! Don't wait until you are in pain to change position, do it BEFORE you have pain. You want to prevent the pain cycle from starting in the first place. If you wait until you have discomfort/pain, then you have started the cycle. I tell my patients that if you can sit in suchandsuch a chair for 15 min but then have pain, sit in that chair for 5-10 min and then switch to another chair/standing etc. Same with standing. Also make sure that your feet are flat when sitting (I'm short so I sometimes have to place a phone book/stool under my feet if I have to do a lot of computer work/desk work). Also, don't sit at the edge of your chair, but against the back support. If you don't have a good lumbar support, roll up a towel (play around with how big/small you need to give you the best support) and place it in the small of your back.
Also, when standing, try placing one foot up on a small stool/step/phone book. This helps put your back into a more neutral position.

And.....speaking of neutral positions.....tighten up those tummy muscles whether sitting, standing, walking etc!! They are your back's best support!!

[laurafjv]

I get lower back pain when stamping/scrapping... I have an office chair but b/c I am hunched/leaing over my back gets stiff. Like everyone said, moving position helps. Also my boyfriend bought me one of those things to put your feet on that takes stress off your back... I don't know what they are called! Also, stretching is SO important... I had a back injury over the summer where I kept experiencing spasms and couldn't bend.. it was awful! So I am working on my posture, strengthening my core and losing weight:(

[laurafjv]

I also use a cream called Myoflex and take Alleve. Getting on the floor and stretching helped me the most!

[Chucky]

In the spring, I started having a "burning" pain on my shoulder blade. It felt like a really bad sunburn. Even wearing clothes hurt it (the fabric rubbing against my skin).

I hadn't had a chance to see the Dr. about it, but I happened to go for a massage about a month after it started, and my massage therapist checked it out and said my nerves were being pinched from long term bad posture while crafting. She worked on that area for an hour, and although it was EXCRUCIATING, it felt better after, and since then, it's been better - with regular visits to my massage therapist, and some exercises she gave me.

I never knew that scrapbooking could be so painful!

[mtgchic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurafjv

I also use a cream called Myoflex and take Alleve. Getting on the floor and stretching helped me the most!

I second Aleve and I use Biofreeze gel (I got it from a chiropractor I went to). I have one hip that bothers me so I use the small wellpatch heat patches (they are sometimes hard to find in the small size, but you could probably put a large one on your back)-they are good for 4-5 hours and really help, too.

[blindstamper]

As a personal fitness trainer, and with tips from a massage therapist, try a few things for shoulder/neck aches: shoulder rolls (both directions); shrug your shoulders up towards your ears for a few counts, then release; stretch chest muscles (they get tight from all the hunching over and pull on the back muscles)--grab hands behind back, keep shoulders down and back while opening un the chest. Good posture and frequest breaks help too.

[sweetiepeas]

I used to have severe lowerback pain from a fall.

I have a really nice good support office chair with arms (sometimes it helps supports my elbows) and I also kind of tuck my feet under the chair so I am forced to sit up straight. I put them on the base part.

If possible tilt your table up a bit, being a drafter that does help from slouching over the table.

I do stand every once in awhile to readjust but for the most part I can sit like that all day and my back feels fine. No stress between the shoulders either.

Good luck!

[stigmom6]

I use a heating pad on my low back while crafting. Helps tons!!

[Robin R]

Yes, but I thought it was because I am getting old ;)

Seriously though, It does help if I stand up some when I am crafting. Plus, I will walk around and stretch if I craft for and extended period of time. If not, my back will hurt. I have a pinched nerve in my back, so this is a necessary for me to do this. And it helps.

[katestamps716]

I move around a lot when I craft...probably because not everything is within arm's reach. I'm always jumping up to get some punch or embellishment or something so I don't think I sit long enough to have pain. Maybe try some stretches or just getting up from time to time.

[glitterdovefairy]

Lots of good advise here. Me and all my local crafters get the same crafting pain. If we do a crop or retreat most of us bring our cumfy office chairs along. I occasionally bring my heating pad as well. Never stay in the same postion for too long. I can't say sit up straighter cause I find that impossible when crafting