Can any one please let me know about the methods to prevent pain in shoulders, wrists, and back when doing machine quilting?

Thank you, Gloria

Make sure that both your sewing machine and chair are the right heighth for you. If your chair does not have lumbar support, maybe a pillow may help and try to keep good posture while you are sewing.

Here is my tried and true remedy when sewing late at night after a considerable amount of time at the sewing machine--- a nice glass of red wine and 3 liquid advil. Works everytime, and I feel no pain. Okay, this is just wrong....... hahahhaa.

I know we don't all get the same newsletter at the same time but the one I got just the other day was ful of tips on this. I'll see if I can post the link in case someone wants to look.
http://www.quiltedparadise.com/n/197-rmq.jsp
well it doesn't look like a link but hopefully you can get there from here!

ok, now it looks like a link!

Frequent breaks! Like every 10 - 15 min for 5 min pays off. I don't want to stop when I'm on a roll but it pays off. Enough pays off? :?: :?:

Thanks Kathy for the link, wow, lots of good information and tips, there :D

Thanks for the link Kathy! THere is alot of helpful information there. I don't think I have got this newsletter yet. I didn't know that there were different newsletters. LOL. I always thought we all got the same one.

Makes sense to me that would help. I just tried them and the last one when I lifted my shoulder up I got a bad pinch in my left one. OUCH. Must be really out of shape. I've had two rotator cuff surgeries in that shoulder and one surgery on the other side. :-)

Best tip I know for avoiding pain from machine quilting...pm jacquemoe and have her talented fingers do the walking to quilt that quilt :wink: :lol: :thumbup:

They do make those from rice. I made one for my cold feet. Always cold. I just put it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and it's hot most of the night. I love it. My mother-in-law found it and I ended up having to make one for her. She took it home and her grand daughter got it so Mom had to make another one. They are addictive. ha ha

We make those from towels folded in half length wise, sew 4 "pockets" fill them with rice then sew the top closed. Bath size towels for our lower backs and hand or tea towels for our necks and shoulders. Y'all are right they really do work great!!

Best way to prevent pain?
Send hubby away for a few months.

Oh, sorry, that would be How To Prevent A Pain In The Butt. lol

LMBO Yep that one works too. Even better if he takes the kids with him for a complete respite. :thumbup:

Hey I have 'seen' you and Lisa's hubby's...you can send em to Spain if you're needing respite from them lol!! :roll: (Elle will help me keep them entertained too if you ask her nicely!!) :lol: :lol:

Oh, I"m sure Elle will "help" you.
That cheeky woman won't let them come home! She'll be pinching their butts all the time! lol

And she would probably wish she could do this with him. lmao

Hey, no X rated pictures allowed on this site!!!!

I made one out of a tube sock, filled it with rice and sewed the end shut.

That has alot of great recommendations. Thanks for sharing. After my car accident a couple years ago, my neck, back and shoulders have been torture some days at the machine. I still get weekly therapy on them. Somedays I think I will never get back to pre-accident status. In time please God.

Terri Terri... you guys!! get a room!!! LOL!!!! ya foolish thing!

We did get a room and had fun too! lol

depends on the size of it. I juse 3-4 minutes. If you smell the rice you be tt er turn it off. I put a towel in there to put on some conditioner on my head and burnt holes in it. I've never burnt my rice pillow though. Just be careful. At 4 minutes it's really HOT. zmy husband can't take that kind of heat. WOOSE

LMBO Izy, I'd never see him again LOL

Izy, I read your post to JB while he was eating his dinner a few moments ago. You made that man giggle LOL However, he didn't decline the offer mind you! LOLOLOL

And I'm on here talking about rice. Your talking about geting a room. Geez I need to keep up here. LOL

Another good pain relief is some of the pain meds I have for my knee!!!!! LOL

beachlady!! Better living through chemistry? LOL

I have been a physical therapist for 35 years and a quilter for one year. I know what you mean about back pain. It's not fun quilting when you're in pain.

A good chair is very important, as is the correct height of the chair. I use an office chair so that I can adjust the height of the seat of the chair.

Your back must be fully supported against the chair back. Sitting with your back unsupported by the chair back, means that your muscles have to hold your body up. This leads to over worked muscles, spasm and pain.

You should have your chair close enough to your sewing machine that you can sew with your elbows by your side and your whole back against your chair back.

Your sewing surface should be at elbow height. To achieve this, I raised my chair seat up, but this left my feet dangling. ( I'm only 5" 3" tall) So I placed a box that was 5" tall on the floor under my table and placed my foot pedal on it. One could also get their husband to make them a wooden stool that is about 20" X 15" and what ever height you need to sit correctly.

Works great. And best of all, no more back and neck pain.

I hope this of help.