crocheting and wrist and finder pain

[Jemmind]

If I crochet for any stretch of time I get pain in my fingers and wrists. Are there any secrets or ways to prevent this?

[MidnightCommando]

I've found that the pain gets worse when I hold my needle too tight. I also wear a wrist brace a lot since I have carpal tunnel and crocheting makes it worse.

[mama2toomany]

I crochet for hours sometimes and it hurts the whole time I think I have carpal tunnel. But When i went to the dr, he simply told me to stop doing what I was doing to make it hurt when I told him, "im not about to stop crocheting" he told me to wear a brace when I crochet, um yeah I tried that and its like impossible.

So i suffer through wear the brace at night. still doesn't help.

[MidnightCommando]

mama2 - I went though a few braces until I found one that didn't catch yarn. It does help a lot

[Sagesgirl]

There are a few ergonomic crochet hooks out there. The easiest ones to find are Clover SofTouch hooks. Michael's carries them, as do AC Moore, Ben Franklin, & Hobby Lobby. They're very awkward at first, but once you get used to them, it's great. They're a bit pricey, but well worth buying in the size or two you use most often.

The only 3.5 mm (E) hook I use is my SofTouch.

[Free2BMe]

May I suggest these gentle stretches

When crocheting for a long period of time, I find this helps. Every thirty minutes or so, place hands behind you on chair, palms down with fingers forward and do a gentle stretch by leaning forward. This is a good time to relax your shoulders as well.
Then lock your fingers together and raise them over your head. You can rotate your wrists back and forth gently.
Then put your hands back on chair, this time with fingers pointing backwards and palms up adding a gentle stretch by leaning backwards.
Also, placing your hands in a prayer pose and holding that stretch helps, in many ways. Peace