Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And How To Avoid It

By Author: Chester Ku-Lea
Total Articles: 40
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an increasingly common occupational hazard. As today so many types of employment involve making repetitive movements with the hands and fingers, Carpal Tunnel has become all too frequent an occurrence. Today CTS is one of the many injuries that are referred to under the broad heading of repetitive strain injuries. Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is the term used to refer to any of a variety of symptoms that have to do with the median nerve in the wrist joint. When this nerve becomes compressed or damage, symptoms of CTS result. This nerve is responsible for the thumb muscles and for the sensations I the thumb, palm and firs three fingers in the hand. The median nerve is particularly vulnerable to compression or injury.

It was not until the 1980s that CTS became widely known. Before the advent of personal computers and the computer domination of workplaces, few were subject to this disorder. Today, however, for anyone who works in an office on a computer, as well as for assembly line workers, cashiers, bookkeepers, jackhammer operators, musicians and many others, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a definite ...
... possibility. It is one, though, that most of us would like to avoid. No matter what your occupation, spending any great amount of time performing repetitive motions be they knitting or needlework will eventually lead to some problems. Below are therefore some recommendations for avoiding the worst of these.

1.When grasping an object of any sort, be sure to use your whole hand and all of your fingers to avoiding strain.

2.When possible, use a tool rather than flexing your wrists with too much force.

3.Posture is key. When at your computer doing keyboard work, make sure that you are sitting straight up in your chair with your body titled ever so slightly backwards. Raise or lower your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are bent at a ninety degree angle. Your writs and hands should be consistently in a straight line and writs and hands should be straight with your forearms parallel to the floor.

4.Computer screen should be about two fee away from you and just below your sight line

5.Elbows should be bent and make sure you have enough elbow room. Use your whole arm rather than simply performing tasks that place too much stress on elbows or wrist.

6.Use arm rests if possible to help keep your wrists from having to flex too much.

7.Slow down your rhythm and vary wrist and hand movement when possible.

8.Take a break every so often from handwork. Taking a few minutes to rest your hands and fingers every hour or so will help to protect you from CTS. Shake out the hands periodically throughout the day.

9.Make sure that your desk, chair and keyboard positioning allow you to keep your wrists as straight as possible. Use a wrist pad in front of the computer which can alleviate the stress placed on wrists.

10.Finally, take time to stretch out your wrists and hands when possible. To stretch wrists and improve circulation you should rest the forearm on a table, and pull the fingertips backwards gently. Try to hold this for five seconds at a time and repeat as often as required. Alongside this exercise, try to press the palms of your hands flat on a table. Lean foreword and stretch the forearm muscle.

Following these simple recommendations can greatly reduce the risk of developing Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and, if you have already acquired this disorder, these suggestions can help prevent it from getting worse. Strengthening exercises for wrists and hands can also help reduce your risk.
Chester Ku-Lea is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of AstroNutrition.com - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements. Check out our blog at AstroNutrition.com/blog.