Arthritis-Friendly Knitting And Crochet Tools: Addi Sock Rockets, Clover Soft Touch, And Hand Gloves

Arthritis in the hands is the single most common reason an older crafter slows down or stops the hobby. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that more than 32 million American adults have osteoarthritis, and the small joints in the fingers and the base of the thumb are among the most affected. Most of those crafters can keep working with full or near-full speed by switching to the seven tools below. The tools all share three properties. They reduce grip pressure. They reduce repetitive small motion. They warm the joints during the work.

The first tool is a pair of short circular needles instead of long straight ones. Long straight needles force the hand to lift and push the weight of the project at the end of every row, which strains the wrist over a long session. A short circular needle of 16 or 24 inches lets the project hang in the lap while the hand only needs to move the active stitches. The Addi Turbo Sock Rocket circular needles, made in Germany by Addi, are widely considered the best for arthritic hands because the join between the cable and the needle is smooth and the brass tip slides yarn faster with less push. A single Sock Rocket costs about 24 dollars at WEBS at yarn.com or at Knit Picks. A starter set with several sizes runs about 100 to 150 dollars but lasts for decades.

The second tool is an ergonomic crochet hook with a wide soft handle. Clover Amour and Clover Soft Touch hooks both reduce grip pressure by about 30 percent compared to a thin straight metal hook, according to occupational therapy testing published in the Journal of Hand Therapy in 2018. Furls Streamline hooks have a longer handle that suits a larger hand. A nine-piece Clover Amour set runs about 30 to 40 dollars at JOANN, Michaels, or Amazon.

The third tool is a pair of light fingerless compression gloves. The IMAK Compression Arthritis Gloves, approved by the Arthritis Foundation Ease of Use program, apply gentle warmth and light pressure to the hand and the base of the thumb. They are open at the fingertips so the crafter can still feel the yarn. A single pair runs about 22 to 30 dollars on Amazon, at a drugstore, or in the medical aisle at Target. The fourth tool is a small heating pad for the lap. A warm hand grips with less force than a cold hand, and a 10-minute warm-up before a session reduces stiffness for the whole hour.

The fifth tool is a row counter on the needle or the hook so the hand does not have to flip back and forth between the project and a tally pad. The Clover Kacha-Kacha clicker counter clips to the work and clicks with the thumb. The sixth tool is a portable lamp with a daylight bulb at 5,000 to 6,500 Kelvin and a magnifier built in, such as the Brightech LightView Pro. Better light reduces eye strain, which in turn reduces full-body fatigue, which in turn reduces hand fatigue. The seventh tool is a yarn bowl, a heavy ceramic or wood bowl with a curved slot that holds the yarn while the hands work. A yarn bowl removes the need to chase a rolling ball across the carpet. Source pages include arthritis.org, the Clover USA site at clover-usa.com, the Addi US distributor Skacel at skacelcollection.com, and the Brightech site at brightech.com.