Why does your neck hurt after throwing pottery? Our heads weigh 10–12 pounds, putting massive strain on your shoulders when you hunch over the wheel. Discover 3 simple ergonomic tweaks—like using a mirror—to ease potter's neck pain and build tension-free habits.

Tired of struggling with standard pottery hardware? Discover how this ergonomic bat pin and knob set protects your joints and gives you more power at the wheel.

Wedging without the Wrist Pain

And we're back! Kicking off a new series on Hands, Fingers & Wrists — starting with wedging. Wedging can be one of the more uncomfortable parts of pottery making — especially for our wrists. Try this: staggered stance, hands planted on the clay, and lean your whole body weight in instead of forcing it with your hands. Keep that wrist neutral — roughly lined up with your elbow — the whole time. Prefer stack-and-slam? Works too, just trades wrist strain for shoulder work. And always: soft clay over hard clay for repetitive, forceful work.

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This short video looks at positioning the body while setting up at the pottery wheel.

Ways to help the head & neck at the pottery wheel

How to take a mini-break at the pottery wheel.