How to sew with bad back?

I have a sacroiliac sprain with back and hip problems and strained shoulder and neck muscles - probably from working at a computer.

What is the best way to sew without aggravating it? I want to do a bunch of embroidery.

Yours, Dora Smith

Reply to
Dora Smith
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Slowly and carefully! Make sure you are sitting well supported and with room to move when you need to. Support the work on a table or in a frame on a stand that you can position rather than hefting the weight in your hands.

Take it slowly and rest plenty!

Reply to
Kate Dicey

In addition to that, how about one of those "breakfast in bed trays" so you can sit on a comfy chair/couch?

Reply to
dnmgiordano

Check with your doctor for some basic stretches you can do and then do them every couple of hours. If you don't stretch, you'll end up cramped. He should know of exercises that are specific for anyone using an office chair for an extended period of time. They work best. Be sure your feet and knees form a 90 degree angle too. That will lessen the strain on your lower back. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

Reply to
Ward

I have sporadic back pain and when it 'hits,' I often sew standing up, at a counter that is kitchen-height.

-Irene

Reply to
IMS

I highly recommend a good physical therapist, and maybe an occupational therapist to help you resolve some of the muscle imbalance problems and the positioning problems.

That said, try to shift position at least every 15 minutes. Yes, get out the kitchen timer. Especially important seems to be to maintain a "neutral posture", and shift foot position often. Get a couple of smallish boxes to use as a footrest...something about 3" and 6" high is good. Put one foot on the footrest, work for a few minutes, swap feet. Next round, swap height of footrest used.

Consider, too, spending at least some time working in a standing position. Take frequent rest breaks and get up and move.

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Reply to
Kay Lancaster

Reply to
Cynthia Spilsted

When my back was out, I spent a lot of time knitting flat on my back on a hard mattress with an overstuffed pillow under each elbow to support my arms, and no pillow under my head. (A stack of two regular pillows would have worked.)

It should be possible to work out a variation of this for embroidery.

Joy Beeson

Reply to
joy beeson

Nope. No machine. Old fashioned way!

I've no clue how to do it by machine, or even what machine to use.

Anyhow, what I really want to do is sew on the bus to pass the time. Could be a tall order, but I can use any suggestions.

Reply to
Dora Smith

Tee, hee, hee, hee. Too bad putting your feet on the seats is against Capital Metro rules!

(IT's a wonder riding the busses isn't against the rules.... but that's another story.)

Reply to
Dora Smith

constructed to support one's lower back, hips and all from stress and strain. A good chair does not come cheap $4 - 7 hundred cdn),

And if you live in Saskatchewan you pay more, 14% total gst and pst (for those of you who are in usa/europe thats "government sales tax" and "provincial sales tax") Cynthia I hope for your sake you live in alberta lol! (they don't have pst)

Michelle Giordano

Reply to
dnmgiordano

Unfortunately, Michelle it's northwestern BC for me - and our tax is a whopping 14 and one half percent! Actually what we've called "government sales tax" to label the federal money grab is properly known as the Goods and Services Tax: whatever it is you're selling, making, or doing they want a piece of the pie! Is your fabric charged PST in Saskatchewan? Here, there is no provincial tax on fabric unless it is to be used for home decor ("No, Ma'am - I really liked the look of those kids play clothes made from the curtains on 'Sound of Music' - honestly that's what this fabric is for.....!) Cynthia

Reply to
Cynthia Spilsted

No wonder our Northern Neighbors like to come to the States to buy stuff! Even with the exchange rate, not having to pay such ridiculously high tax must be a big relief.

And we thought *we* had high sales taxes! Karen > Unfortunately, Michelle it's northwestern BC for me - and our tax is a

Reply to
Karen Maslowski

Reply to
Taria

Where in NW BC? I'm just curious as we had a lovely family trip driving up through BC to the Yukon Territory, via the Cassiar highway. It was beautiful country, remote, harsh at times, and I'm just wondering where you are so I can picture it...

Penny S, just S of the border.

Reply to
pas

I'm pretty sure that items have to be declared when you cross the border, and then if they exceed the duty free regulations you still have to pay tax on them.

Penny S

Reply to
pas

Would a pillow, something like a boppy used by nursing mothers, help support your arms but leave your hands free? It is a donut shape with one side left open. Diana

Reply to
Diana Curtis

That makes sense, but still, Canadian residents do tend to gravitate to the US for certain things, despite the exchange rate.

Karen > How do you think the govt. there provides health care? The money has to

Reply to
Karen Maslowski

Try the UK for us it is 17.5% VAT (value added tax) for most things. No tax on children's clothes and shoes or on "basic" groceries i.e. necessities, but "luxury" groceries are taxed. Reduced rate on gas, electricity, heating oil and sanitary protection (not a necessity!) Full rate on everything else except automotive fuels which are taxed overall at a whopping 292% i.e. production costs + retailers profit =

21.7 pence per litre, duty + tax = 63.4 pence per litre, total price per litre = 85p or 1.9 Canadian dollars a litre or 5.50 USD per US gallon . Ouch

Lizzy

Reply to
Lizzy Taylor

commonly referred to here as 'Grab, Snatch (or Steal) and Take' Tax! here....

Mavis

Reply to
AmazeR

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