Making beaded curtains helps improve my fine motor skills

About two years after my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, I began having hand-related symptoms that interfered with my daily life and caused significant stress.

I’m a college student and remote employee, so I spend a lot of time typing, which is considered a fine motor skill because of the coordination and precision required. The symptoms I experience most frequently are weakness, reduced grip strength, tingling, and on occasion, tremors. They started to worsen more than a year ago, which caused me a great deal of confusion and fear.

The confusion came from how completely random the worsening was. As with most aspects of life with MS, everything seems random, something I haven’t fully grasped. Very rarely, however, I can recognize some triggers, such as when I have a migraine. Before one sets in, I can feel it brewing at my temples, with intense pressure building behind my eyes.

The fear came from not knowing if my hand symptoms would keep intensifying, which could limit my work productivity. I’m not the biggest proponent of reaching maximum productivity, but I did worry about struggling to complete my tasks.

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When these hand symptoms worsened, I turned to compression gloves and various hand therapy tools, hoping to ease the pain, stiffness, and weakness. I used the compression gloves much like people who use compression socks, expecting them to improve circulation and provide some relief throughout the day. Unfortunately, these strategies offered little improvement and didn’t significantly reduce my symptoms. But luckily, after several difficult months, the symptoms gradually began to subside on their own.

I decided to challenge myself to explore a hobby that might improve my fine motor skills. This was a way to fill some of my free time with activities that don’t involve staring at a screen. I wanted a hobby that didn’t require much brain power, but still supported my weak hands. So I began to make beaded curtains.

I’d always been drawn to beaded curtains because they allow for many different designs. The possibilities truly feel endless — from selecting the colors of the beads to choosing their shapes, sizes, and types, and so much more. I knew doing this would really expand and challenge my creativity. Since I live in a home with many colorful and vibrant decorations, beaded curtains seemed like the perfect addition.

Once I started, though, I quickly discovered that it required far more effort from my hands than I had initially realized. Because it involves working with extremely thin string, like fishing line, and threading beads onto an even finer beading needle, the level of precision is helping to improve my fine motor skills. Plus, threading each bead individually increases the effort.

Even with a hobby as simple as this one, I’ve given myself the chance to explore untapped creativity, mindlessly craft something beautiful, strengthen my fine motor skills, and soothe my mind. I’ll continue to encourage myself to delve into other hobbies that can serve as self-care and lessen the burden of my MS symptoms.

What are some of your hobbies? Please share in the comments below. 

Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.