Muscle Spasms when machine quilting - make it go away.
#21
muscle mist, just got some and love it, have been sleeping like a baby for 3 days, they sell it on amazon. my shoulder muscles feel less tense than they did a few days ago. just spray it on before you start. also make sure your posture is good
#22
I get muscle pain in my left side of my neck and shoulder. My gym therapist told me to use a tennis ball and run it along the wall and my back shoulder muscle. It took a while but did give me so much relief.
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: England Alton Towers
Posts: 6,673
I have a long arm . I quilt on this and small machine. I do it in 20minute sessions or move from one to the other. I learnt my lesson first time I used long arm. I spent 2 hours none stop. For the nest few days I was in agony and could hardly move. This system I started does work very well especially if I am quilting and piecing.
I have a very serious neck injury 3-6 vertebrae so am very careful.
I have a very serious neck injury 3-6 vertebrae so am very careful.
#24
I really like my tilt table which lifts the back of the machine so I'm not forcing myself forward to look down on my work. I can sit back in my chair & still see my work without the strain. I have a real bad back, so sitting forward not only gives me the shoulder/neck pain, but extreme back pain. I don't get it anymore with the tilt table.
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,434
So many good suggestions & sometimes none of them work. I had the bad spasms & pain for years. I quit all sewing for years because of the back pain. And then.....I had a CT scan because the pain & spasms started up again & I wasn't even sewing! The pain starts down my back on both sides over my shoulder blades, then starts fingers of fire along the same path, then ends with a feeling that my muscles are knotting up & want to come out of my back. Lo & behold, I have a herniated disc at the top of the back. It's not bad enough for surgery, but it sure does get my attention.
All of the suggestions about setting up your sewing area so that it is ergonomically correct do help some, but didn't keep the pain from happening for me. Trying to manage the weight of the large quilt sandwich caused more problems & a lot more pain. Breaks from sewing so that you can relax all those muscles are a MUST.
So, fast forward....I managed to get 8 tops ready to quilt & then bought a very preowned longarm. I have to take breaks, but the pain when using the longarm is about 5-10% of what I get when using a regular sewing machine. I use pantos or free hand with very open quilting & can get it done in a day. I stand to do the quilts. I am not good enough with free hand to do anything except the larger patterns & have found that when I try to do something more intense, my back tells me NO!
I think the reason the longarm is better is because you are almost constantly moving. This lets nerves that are hurting be rearranged with each step you take.
Have you tried stretching to get those muscles moving before you start the sewing? That helped me some.
Another solution could be making your quilts in sections, quilting them separately then joining them. There are many tutes out there on that procedure. That was going to be my next method of choice, but I got the longarm, so didn't ever try that out. Good luck & happy quilting!
All of the suggestions about setting up your sewing area so that it is ergonomically correct do help some, but didn't keep the pain from happening for me. Trying to manage the weight of the large quilt sandwich caused more problems & a lot more pain. Breaks from sewing so that you can relax all those muscles are a MUST.
So, fast forward....I managed to get 8 tops ready to quilt & then bought a very preowned longarm. I have to take breaks, but the pain when using the longarm is about 5-10% of what I get when using a regular sewing machine. I use pantos or free hand with very open quilting & can get it done in a day. I stand to do the quilts. I am not good enough with free hand to do anything except the larger patterns & have found that when I try to do something more intense, my back tells me NO!
I think the reason the longarm is better is because you are almost constantly moving. This lets nerves that are hurting be rearranged with each step you take.
Have you tried stretching to get those muscles moving before you start the sewing? That helped me some.
Another solution could be making your quilts in sections, quilting them separately then joining them. There are many tutes out there on that procedure. That was going to be my next method of choice, but I got the longarm, so didn't ever try that out. Good luck & happy quilting!
Last edited by Barb in Louisiana; 03-13-2013 at 05:15 AM.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 647
I tried all of the wonderful ideas already mentioned and they helped, but what really made the difference for me was to find some music that I enjoyed and had the right beat, turn the volume up and "body dance" while quilting. Not only did I relax and enjoy the process more, but the fmq also improved. Play with it and find what works for you and most of all RELAX.
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 682
No one has mentioned using "Machingers".. They are gloves with rubberized fingers which help you to get a better grip on the quilt and relieve the pressure on your shoulder.. Be sure to get a size that fits your hands snugly so it doesn't turn on your fingers. I find that this helped me a lot with FMQ. Also, my old Brother had a bed slanted toward the front and this helped to see the work. Try raising the back of the bed a little.
#29
I am learning to quilt. I am doing my first quilt on my DSM. I really want to do this, I love it so far except for the horrible pain in my shoulder/neck from muscle spasms. I am prone to these from working at desk on computer all day. but was hoping to be able to quilt without so much pain.
I was so disappointed to have to quit very soon after starting a quilt yesterday due to pain. I have a great new machine, 11.25 inch throat - just need to be able to learn to use it without so much pain.
I am not sure my table is low enough/chair high enough. Does anyone else suffer from this and have suggestions on how to change things so that it does not cause this strain.
I wonder if it is a problem when using a long arm standing up? anyone have any trouble with muscle spasms when using the long arms?
Thanks,
Terri
I was so disappointed to have to quit very soon after starting a quilt yesterday due to pain. I have a great new machine, 11.25 inch throat - just need to be able to learn to use it without so much pain.
I am not sure my table is low enough/chair high enough. Does anyone else suffer from this and have suggestions on how to change things so that it does not cause this strain.
I wonder if it is a problem when using a long arm standing up? anyone have any trouble with muscle spasms when using the long arms?
Thanks,
Terri
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10-05-2011 10:33 AM