Learned from a quilter friend: Put a hard baseball between your shoulder blades (you'll KNOW when you hit the spot because it HURTS!) Lean back in your easy chair and keep the baseball on the sore spot for, oh, say, the duration of the newscast, or your favorite one-hour program. Believe it or not, the baseball therapy really works. I've even used the baseball in the car, for pain relief.

I do the same thing. I have the neck pain from a whiplash accident several years ago. Dr. said it will never get better and arthritis will set in as I age. I take a break every hour, do some stretching I learned in my water aerobic classes and take two Tylenol. Works for me.

Badger sore muscle rub. I sold it at my gift shop and when we closed we ordered a case just for us. I think you can get it at Cracker Barrel. Love that stuff, also the sleep balm works.
I still take a break or two when I'm working for a long time on something.

Take tons of breaks. Get up walk around and stretch your neck, shoulders and arms. I have ulnar neuropathy in my right arm/shoulder area so I know how you feel.

Same problem here. Have a great chiropractor and massage therapist. Sew no more than 20 min. at a time. Sewing/embroidery machines are about 5 inches higher than set in machines. I am short and need shorter sewing table. Higher one nearly killed me. Rubbing on theragesic or Biofreeze will give temp. relief. Ibuprofen helps me, but I hate pills. Wishing you well.

<--- loves her Biofreeze but Aspercream works well, too, and all pain pills do horrible things to my tummy!

I make sure I have to get up to press my block. Following Kaye England's instructions piece the block together - then press. Also, as stated before, make sure you drink lots of water.

Don't work so long a time without stopping to stretch and relax. Then, of course, there is the good ol' BioFreeze.

I don't need to work five hours to end up as your did. A half an hour will do that to me. That's why it takes me forever to get anything done. :-( After about a half an hour I have to sit with a heating pad on my back and neck and recover!

You can buy a machine tilter, but door stops you can buy at the Dollar Store work as well. Just put them behind and under your machine and tilt the machine forward so you don not have to hold your shoulders up when you sew!

I love Thermawraps--they are kind of arched so they cover the whole neck area and last for up to 8 hours at a time. That kind of long term heat gets really deep into the muscles. I have fibromyalgia and this helps immensely. I also use capsacian if I run out of thermawraps, but it gets really hot since its made from hot peppers so use gloves to put it on and as they say buyer beware.

I've often wondered how the therawraps worked. Thanks, I think I'll follow your idea.

Get a massage to relax. Take frequent breaks. Notice how your shoulders behave. If they "ride up" force them down. Shoulders do not belong by the ears.

The door stops work great. I use them all the time. Only 97 cents at Walmart.

I personally take a break every time I change the bobbin or sooner if needed. Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed. Lean from the hips, not your neck and shoulders. :D

Lots of good tips. Massage lightly, rub in Glenalgesic. It smells very strong but works wonders. Can use heating pad with it. Do not add right after bathing, it will burn like crazy for a few minutes when your pores are open.

Thanks for the link

You're absoluetly right. My Dr. explained that when a person is in pain, they automatically or naturally try to 'defend' the area that is in pain. That's why those of us with fibromyalgia hunch our shoulders and also try to protect our chests because within those areas are many of the spots that cause us so much pain. The problem is, we don't realize we're hunching all up until we've been that way for awhile. When it becomes unbearable, we think, 'oh yeah - relax!! :-) Usually by then it's too late.
I also use the doorstops under my machine, a tip which I gleaned from this board. A great idea.

Sherrie, I have a piece of wood my husband gave to me. Nothing fancy----it's the width of my sewing machine 15" by2'' and about 3/4" high. I tuck it under the rear of my machine just enough to raise it to a comfortable level I guess you could cover it but I never have. It does the job at no expense. I don't need fancy shmancy just something to make it easier on by shoulders and back. Good luck - peterparley

I know what you mean. I have this problem of when I start quilting I can't seem to stop. I think I get it in my head the harder I work the sooner I finish. That leads to the sore neck and back, then I have to take time to recover. Time lost on working on something else.LOL

Epson salts bath!

Take frequent brakes and make sure your work area is comfortable.

I also have a ruptured disk in my neck and working too long can make me sore for a long time. I use a lot of the same techniques that everyone else uses here on the board. My physical therapist also said that when you sew you should not only keep your spine in line with your head, but you should also move the top of your body forward along with your sewing rather than just extending your arms. She said this puts less stress on your shoulders. I have to keep remembering this - old habits are so hard to break.

Another product to use for aches and pains is called: Arnicare Gel. It is a homeopathic product and you can find it at Whole Foods, CVS Pharmacy or at health food stores. It doesn't smell and isn't greasy. When you put it on you'll suddenly realize hours later that you don't hurt anymore.

It is good for use on bruises, it makes them go away a lot faster. By accident I also found out that it was great on burns. I was holding an old style travel iron, the kind that the handle folds down and the handle slipped out of position and it folded over and burned my arm pretty badly. I put the Arnicare Gel on it right away and the pain from the burn was immediately gone. The burn also seemed to heal faster. Now I keep a tube of it in my sewing bag and offer it to my sewing friends at the Senior Center when they start to complain about soreness.

I hope you feel better soon. Take care.

Here's a few feel good movements (so much better than calling them exercises/stretches) that I've used when I've overdone it at something I enjoyed way too much:

1 -- Lift one arm up to shoulder level and cross it over your chest. Use the other hand to grasp it at the elbow and gently pull it closer to your body. Hold for several seconds, then repeat on the other side.

2 -- Go stand in the corner! I mean it. Then put your hands up at shoulder level against the two walls, fingers of each hand pointing toward the other hand (this raises your elbows up and rotates the shoulder joint) and do a few "push ups" from the wall. You will have to figure out how far away from the corner to stand so you can comfortably do these pushaways.

3 -- Get a plastic jug with a handle that's comfortable to hold and put some water into it (I use gallon milk jugs). Stand near a counter or a wall to support yourself. Lean forward and let the hand holding the jug dangle, drawing circles in the air with it.

I have seen little fabric harnesses in the quilting magazines/catalogues for a cotton harness-like deal apparatus that you wear (apparently) under your clothing to pull your shoulders back. I THINK I saw it in the Clothilde catalogue. Maybe that would help. I get back pain, too, from sitting at the machine for a long time.

Five straight hours is much too long - take stretching breaks frequently and rotate your shoulders and head to loosen up in between.

Five straight hours is much too long - take stretching breaks frequently and rotate your shoulders and head to loosen up in between. Oh yeh, sit up straight with shoulders back.

Drink lots of water too. Believe it or not, a person becomes very dehydrated when working with fabrics. The fabrics can really take the moisture away from you.


On the topic of drinking adequate amounts of water. I have a grandson with severe kidney disease. His mom told me the doctor tells her most people don't drink enough water and many go around dehydrated. She suggested checking the color of your urine. The darker it is, the more you need water. It should be quite light in color. Maybe this is a little gross, but most of us are moms and can stand a lot worse that looking in the potty at the color. (giggle)

Every hour, get up and stretch and move around. Also have ergonomically positioned chair, table and machine - minimises the problem.

Sherrie...
Shrug your shoulders up and down and roll them forward and backwards and your neck too.But gently.Also like the others say take frequent breaks for at least five min at a time.

PLUS...LeAnn
I just have to know where you got your design for your avitar quilt.Please may I have the address to purchase it? :lol:
I am in LOVE :lol:

Some people have good luck with adjusting the angle of the machine...just place a couple of rubber doorstops underneath the far edge of you machine so it tilts toward you a bit. That way you don't have to lean forward anymore. Hope this helps.

lots of breaks

if you get the address of where to purchase the quilt design, would you please pass it on?

thanks


darlene

Years ago, I bought a Body Rite from nancy's Notions. It has a weight that hangs on your back and wide elastic straps to go around your arms. Sounds weird but it really works because it forces your shoulders to stay straight. I can really tell a difference when I don't wear it. HOpe it helps you.

I quilt for about 20-30 minutes at a time and then I get up and wander around for about 5-10 minutes. It helps to keep your shoulders down and relax when you sew.

I have had this for over a month. Went to chiropractor, have 5 vertabras out of line. Sent me for x-rays and i have 2 spurs. But today was a good day don't hurt much and can move my neck. Maybe now I can get back to sewing.

I have a bad neck too, and the ironing/pressing hurts it, as well as too long at the machine. Heck, using the rotary cutter and ruler hurts my neck. This is why I may only make one a year! I go slow!! Hand quilting is OUT, b/c of all the looking downward.

What a great bunch of ideas to avoid painful neck and shoulders. Thank each and every one of you. Fibromyalgia can really cause so much pain in those areas. I've relied mostly on ice-sometimes heat. Tylenol is a must also. May we all suffer less and sew more.

All the above and generous amounts of vanishing scent Bengay.

Not to get off the subject but, you made me think of another body part. I had a happy accident. I still use a presser foot and I happened to put an old Whitmans sampler tin on the floor in front of my presser foot. It lifts my foot up just enough to use the foot pedal without constantly
raising your foot. You are only pushing down. Anything the right height for you would work. I am on a rug so nothing scoots away. Love it.