Therapeutic knitting

[ajj1001]

knitonthenet :: Therapeutic Knitting

Blocking pain
The apparent pain relieving properties of knitting were the most interesting to investigate. Many letters and emails have told me about how you can 'forget' pain when you knit. Even those suffering from severe pain say it's effective. These comments took me on a fascinating journey into the complex world of chronic pain. It lead me into trying to understand the intriguing relationship between the physical and cognitive aspects of chronic pain and how these interplay and intertwine to change the amount of pain you actually feel. Research has shown some fascinating facts about your brain and pain in recent years. The one that will probably surprise you the most is that pain doesn't originate in your muscles, joints or ligaments, but in your brain! Let me explain a bit more - the signals that travel up to your brain from an injured area do so as pain inducing signals. These have to be interpreted by your brain before you actually feel pain. Now comes the interesting bit. Researchers have also found that your brain can't concentrate on two things at the time. So if you occupy your brain with an activity that is absorbing enough to cancel out the pain signals, then your brain won't interpret those pain inducing signals. As a result you'll feel less pain and in some situations none at all! Knitting can quite literally take your mind off pain.

This process is called Distraction and can be effective for blocking out pain and other troubling thoughts. It can also help people to manage the feelings of nausea following chemotherapy. To add to this researchers have also found that signals passing down from your brain to an area of your spinal column called the Pain Gate can influence the opening/closing of this gateway. If it is open, all the pain inducing signals will pass. If it is partially closed, or closed, only some or none of the signals will pass. Your attitude and mood are significant in influencing this. So by making you feel good and raising mood your knitting could be helping you manage your pain in this way too!

Knitting enables people to experience relaxation. In a world where stress levels are high and prolonged many of us can forget what real relaxation feels like. You can be tense for so long that your body recognises this as 'normal' and you won't realise you need to relax until you experience it. Staff who work in Pain Management units tell me that it's difficult to teach those in pain to relax. Those who suffer from depression and anxiety have similar problems as do those of us with long working hours.

Regular relaxation is vital for bringing down destructive levels of stress hormones in your blood, but you need to be proactive in this - it won't just 'happen' by itself. The good news is that not only do you experience real relaxation whilst you knit (providing you knit with a good posture - see Stitchlinks guide to Posture), but you can learn what this 'feels' like and then 'remember' it. It is then possible to transfer or recall these feelings across to other areas of your life, for example before giving a presentation.

[Cindylou]

What a wonderful, insightful thread. Thank-you for sharing it Alison. I have long known the benefits of distraction and it is so true. When I fish off our dock in the summer...it distracts me from my pain. I absolutely love to fish, and as long as I change positions frequently (Up down, up down from my chair), I can enjoy many hours out in nature. Then, I think when you are actually doing an activity that makes you happy, your endorphins kick in more, so you actually start to physically feel better, which starts a wonderful cycle and it's all good. In years past, I also used to notice that when I was out skiing I was concentrating so much, especially on those uphill skiers...so they wouldn't crash into me.....that I hardly noticed my pain. Of course, then at quittin' time, it was another matter altogether, but sooooo worth it! I used to knit when I was a teenager, but it's been so long I know I would need a lesson again. It's on my bucket list. CL

[ajj1001]

i last crocheted when i was 17 but after finding my hook and watching youtube tutorials have picked it up again. it is very soothing as are all my handicrafts that i have taken up. my main hobbies pre revision were all reliant on my legs so the distraction of using my hands instead has been good. it also fills the hours of time i have.

[Gilbert P]

Allison

So true and it works for me when I am tuning and waxing skis or working on a project I forget that things hurt, Skiing is the same as CL stated but after all worth it.

Thanks for sharing.

CL it is the dam snowboards that worry me the kids to day have no respect Scary

Gil

[Justin]

Alison, thanks for sharing!

[dalhousie]

That's an interesting article - especially as I've just started knitting this week to try & fill the hours in the day I'm spending resting/reclining.

I can remember with my first disc problem I also had significant facet issues as well - if my disc pain was full on I didn't feel the facet pain & vice versa - it was like a push button on/off system.

CL - I've only done a bit of knitting as a teenager which is many moons ago but have relearned the basics by watching youtube video clips. I've started on something simple like knitting a scarf as I never knew how to sew jumpers/cardigans together - I can remember I gave that privilege to my mom & she wasn't that fond of it!

Alison- how's the crocheting coming along? Have you got the knack of it now?

[ajj1001]

well i have four squares and they look ok, not sure if they are right but they've not unravelled yet. i have ordered some more wool so am going to get crocheting something. any ideas for lots of small squares welcome!

[dalhousie]

I haven't had any brainwaves - just the usual suggestion of a blanket/throw, beanie/hat or a shawl. Maybe if you had a look on the net for patterns/ideas but you might have already done that.

I'm really enjoying my knitting - think I'm better at knitting than sewing but that maybe because I've had a bit more practice at it when I was younger.

[Cindylou]

That's an interesting article - especially as I've just started knitting this week to try & fill the hours in the day I'm spending resting/reclining.

I can remember with my first disc problem I also had significant facet issues as well - if my disc pain was full on I didn't feel the facet pain & vice versa - it was like a push button on/off system.

CL - I've only done a bit of knitting as a teenager which is many moons ago but have relearned the basics by watching youtube video clips. I've started on something simple like knitting a scarf as I never knew how to sew jumpers/cardigans together - I can remember I gave that privilege to my mom & she wasn't that fond of it!

Alison- how's the crocheting coming along? Have you got the knack of it now?

What great ideas you guys are giving me. Never in a million years would I have thought of watching a youtube video clip to refresh my knitting skills! So thank-you, Ruth and Alison. What are you knitting Ruth? A scarf? I'm also looking into purchasing a new sewing machine. I haven't had one for years, but I did learn to sew as well, as a teenager. My Mom is an excellent seamstress and taught me and my sister in our teen years. I figure with all the money I drop on clothes for my granddaughter, I should invest in a sewing machine and make her some outfits for a fraction of the cost, you know? Thanks again you guys! Cindylou (can you guys take pics of what you're making and post it on here?)

[Cindylou]

Allison

So true and it works for me when I am tuning and waxing skis or working on a project I forget that things hurt, Skiing is the same as CL stated but after all worth it.

Thanks for sharing.

CL it is the dam snowboards that worry me the kids to day have no respect Scary

Gil

Gil, you are sooo right about the snowboarders. Scares the crap out of me, even thinking about that scraping sound a snowboard makes, coming down the hill! Aggggh!! Save us all! Cindylou