Cross stitching for healthy hands and arthritis pain relief.

I was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my thumbs. As I am an avid cross stitcher, this was dreadful news. So I did a bit of research. While at first I thought using my hands so much for cross stitching might have caused arthritis pain, it turns out the opposite is true.

Cross stitching, while fun and relaxing, is also a great way to keep your hands healthy and to relieve arthritis pain. It improves your hand-eye coordination and dexterity. It also helps to strengthen the muscles in your hands and fingers. This can be especially beneficial as it can help to improve their range of motion and reduce stiffness.

Cross stitching can also help to improve circulation in your hands because you need to move your hands and fingers constantly in order to stitch. Improved circulation can help to reduce the pain and swelling in your hands.

As mentioned previously, cross stitching is a great way to relax and de-stress and this can be beneficial for people with arthritis, as stress can aggravate arthritis symptoms.

Here are some tips for cross stitching with arthritis:

• Keep your hands warm. Cold hands can make arthritis pain worse.
• Use a light touch when stitching. Avoid gripping the needle too tightly.
• If you have difficulty holding the needle, try using a needle grip.
• If you have difficulty tying knots, try using a knot tying device.

Cross stitching is not only a creative, relaxing and fun activity, it is also a great way to keep your hands healthy and to relieve arthritis pain. Yet another reason to love cross stitching!

Photo by Cat Han on Unsplash