In my job as associate editor for Bead&Button, I spend my days stitching bead projects with very thin needles and very small beads. I also work on chain mail, macramé, wire- and cording-crochet, wire-wrapping, and embroidery projects. When I’m not beading, I’m typing or mousing on my computer, or editing stories the old-fashioned way with a blue-colored pen (each editor has their own pen color so we can quickly identify who made an edit). All these activities put a great strain on my hands, arms, and shoulders.

When I started this job, a friend who is a massage therapist gave me some excellent advice about how I could keep my body in shape so I would be able to work without pain. I now regularly practice hand yoga during the day, stretching my fingers, wrists, and back.

If you do a lot of stitching and find that your fingers become numb, you experience a tingling sensation in your hands and wrists, or your arms and back become cramped from sitting for long hours, you may benefit from these same exercises. Bead&Button featured this topic in the August 2006 issue. To read these helpful hints for keeping your muscles stretched and relaxed, click here. Check them out before your tired hands develop a more serious problem.

Happy beading.

Lynne Soto