Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the leading causes of lost work and lost productivity at the office, and is a booming specialty when it comes to physical therapy. As the number of professionals who have to spend their entire day working at a keyboard increases, this boom in physical therapy cases is sadly unexpected. Keeping yourself out of the tender mercies of a physical therapist is a good way to save money, and we're going to show you how.
Start by cutting back on the routine tasks that go hand in hand with carpal tunnel syndrome. If possible, avoid using that hand for anything, save when absolutely necessary; and this should last for at least a few days, and a week or more is strongly recommended. The aim is to release the pressure on swollen tendon sheathes, which are the root cause of the problem. If your dominant hand is the one with the wounded wrist, this can be something of a challenge.
Working on a computer is a recipe for carpal tunnel syndrome if you don't take care to be properly ergonomic in your workspace layout. Make sure that your elbows are supported on arm wrests, that there's a wrist rest in front of your keyboard, and that you keep your forearms level when typing. Buying wrist braces can help considerably; one of the big contributors to carpal tunnel syndrome is letting your hands (and wrists) lay on the hard edge of a desk while typing. Another thing to do is buy a trackball rather than a mouse. It'll take you a few days to get used to it, but your wrists will be much happier for it, as will your elbow and shoulder.
Even with ergonomics working in your favor, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis in the elbows and forearms can be persistent. Give yourself breaks every 40 to 50 minutes to stand up, walk around, stretch your wrists and forearms out, and to roll your shoulders. You want to stretch out the areas of the wrist before inflammation sets in and the medial nerve gets compressed again. You also want to build up blood flow in the area. The breaks also keep you from pushing yourself too hard when typing or editing. Whenever you can, massage your hands and wrists, and do some strengthening exercises.
Other options include wearing a splint - some are quite helpful in helping you recover from this type of injury, and they can be tailored to give the proper ergonomic support and reduce pressure on the medial nerves. Other mechanical remedies include suspending the hand over the edge of the bed when asleep, regular stretching exercises, and periodic use of icing and mild anti-inflammatory drugs.
Beyond these home remedies comes the realm of the physical therapist. There are several specialized exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around the carpal tunnels, and they're usually non invasive, though they may recommend hot wraps and compresses after the exercises to keep the muscles and tendons in the right place while new muscle tissue is built up. The ultimate goal is to get carpal tunnel syndrome to fade away on its own.
Start by cutting back on the routine tasks that go hand in hand with carpal tunnel syndrome. If possible, avoid using that hand for anything, save when absolutely necessary; and this should last for at least a few days, and a week or more is strongly recommended. The aim is to release the pressure on swollen tendon sheathes, which are the root cause of the problem. If your dominant hand is the one with the wounded wrist, this can be something of a challenge.
Working on a computer is a recipe for carpal tunnel syndrome if you don't take care to be properly ergonomic in your workspace layout. Make sure that your elbows are supported on arm wrests, that there's a wrist rest in front of your keyboard, and that you keep your forearms level when typing. Buying wrist braces can help considerably; one of the big contributors to carpal tunnel syndrome is letting your hands (and wrists) lay on the hard edge of a desk while typing. Another thing to do is buy a trackball rather than a mouse. It'll take you a few days to get used to it, but your wrists will be much happier for it, as will your elbow and shoulder.
Even with ergonomics working in your favor, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis in the elbows and forearms can be persistent. Give yourself breaks every 40 to 50 minutes to stand up, walk around, stretch your wrists and forearms out, and to roll your shoulders. You want to stretch out the areas of the wrist before inflammation sets in and the medial nerve gets compressed again. You also want to build up blood flow in the area. The breaks also keep you from pushing yourself too hard when typing or editing. Whenever you can, massage your hands and wrists, and do some strengthening exercises.
Other options include wearing a splint - some are quite helpful in helping you recover from this type of injury, and they can be tailored to give the proper ergonomic support and reduce pressure on the medial nerves. Other mechanical remedies include suspending the hand over the edge of the bed when asleep, regular stretching exercises, and periodic use of icing and mild anti-inflammatory drugs.
Beyond these home remedies comes the realm of the physical therapist. There are several specialized exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around the carpal tunnels, and they're usually non invasive, though they may recommend hot wraps and compresses after the exercises to keep the muscles and tendons in the right place while new muscle tissue is built up. The ultimate goal is to get carpal tunnel syndrome to fade away on its own.
About the Author:
Tom Nicholson has been helping those who suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome find easy, effective methods of treatment for years. Let him show you some basic carpal tunnel exercises that can ease your painful symptoms. Learn what so many people already know - treatment doesn't have to be invasive or costly to work!
