Davina, it's hard to work a dough too much by hand, at least during the kneading phase. I see this happening more during shaping, when over-handling the dough can cause the surface to tear, which can compromise the structure of the rising loaf. When shaping your loaves you want to be careful to maintain a smooth surface and to handle the dough only enough to achieve the desired shape and structure. During shaping, using enough flour on your hand and the table to prevent sticking is helpful in maintaining the integrity of the dough. When making a more structured loaf than a ciabatta, it's helpful to keep an area of your work surface free of flour so that the bottom of the loaf seals properly. Barb

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