How recreation therapy can keep us doing what we love: Amanda’s story

Amanda Kidnie is a recreation therapist in the Functional Enhancement Service Unit at Etobicoke General.

A recent patient of mine had been diagnosed with arthritis a few years ago. With the diagnosis and the pain that came with it, they felt they had to give up a favourite pastime and passion of theirs: knitting.

I decided we were going to try everything we could to get her back to doing what she once loved.

During the patient’s assessment, we discussed how her reduced mobility prevents her from participating in many meaningful activities. This was especially true during the winter months when she used to do a lot of knitting. I recommended some leisure adaptations to help her regain her skills to try and get back into the activity she used to love so much.

Once we made these adaptations, slowly and surely, the patient was back to knitting again. The regained activity allowed her to exercise her fine motor skills, and also stimulate her cognitive skills and memory, providing her with improved self-esteem and overall sense of happiness. It also provided her with stress relief to cope with her hospitalization and illness. She even made three pairs of slippers during her stay and was excited to continue on at home once she was discharged.

If you or a loved one has arthritis and has stopped doing an activity they love, we, meaning Recreation Therapists, can help! There are certainly ways they can get back to doing what they love with leisure adaptations.

Here are five tips I share with patients who want to continue knitting:

1. To help ease back into it, start with smaller, lighter-weight projects like squares or a simple scarf.
2. When it comes to equipment, try lighter or shorter knitting needles to put less pressure on your joints. Choose lighter weight yarn for the same purpose.
3. Warm up your muscles and joints by doing some hand stretches, or by soaking your hands in warm water.
4. Try setting a time limit to avoid overexertion and be sure to take breaks to rest your hands.
5. Explore other options like loom knitting, or knitting machines that can even be used one-handed.

Before giving up on your favourite hobbies, speak to a recreation therapist to learn about ways we can help you adapt to keep doing the things you love.