In This Article:
Stop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
Carpal Tunnel Treatment
Carpal Tunnel Exercises
Limbering up: Massage the inside and outside of hand with thumb and fingers. Grasp fingers and gently bend back wrist. Hold for five seconds. Gently pull thumb down and back until you feel the stretch. Hold for five seconds. Clench fist tightly, then release, fanning out fingers. R
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Wrist Exercises
The goal here is to keep your wrists limber and strong and alleviate any carpal tunnel strain you might create during the work day. it is recommended these exercises be done three to five times a week.
Keep in mind—these exercises are preventative. If you are experiencing pain or numbness, these exercises may exacerbate an existing problem. Speak with your doctor before doing any exercises.
1. Limber up: Start by massaging inside and outside your hand using the thumb and fingers. Grasp your fingers and very gently bend your wrist backwards (do not go far enough to induce pain or discomfort). Hold it for five seconds. Then gently pull your thumb down and back. Hold it for five seconds. Finally, clench your fist tightly and release it, making sure to fan out your fingers. Repeat this five times.
2. Wrist Rotations: Stand or sit, keeping your elbows close in to your waist, your forearms extending in front and parallel to the floor, and your palms down. Make fists with both hands then make circles with them in one direction. Do ten reps and reverse direction. Follow up with open hands and extended fingers. Repeat the full sequence.
3. Wrist Curls: Stand or sit, keeping your elbows close in to your waist, your forearms extending in front and parallel to the floor, and your palms down. Grab hold of a one-pound dumbbell in each hand; slowly bend your wrists downward, holding that position five seconds. Do ten reps.
4. Sideways Wrist Bends: Stand or sit, keeping your elbows close in to your waist, your forearms extending in front and parallel to the floor, and your palms down. Grab hold of a one-pound dumbbell in each hand. Now, keeping your forearms still, very slowly bend your wrists from one side to the other, moving the weights toward, then away from one another. Do ten reps.
5. Wrist Twists: Stand or sit, keeping your elbows close in to your waist, your forearms extending in front and parallel to the floor, and your palms down. With a one-pound dumbbell in each hand, slowly turn your wrists and forearms until your palms are facing up, then begin to turn them down again. Do ten reps.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Tips For The Workplace
The following tips can help you avoid developing CTS at the workplace:
• Be positioned properly. Your computer screen ought to be around two feet from you, and the top of the document you’re working on needs to be equal to or just below your sight line.
• Position your keyboard flat. Don’t slant your keyboard; it should be flat. Use a three-quarter inch support under the keyboard if necessary.
• Keep your wrists straight. Your wrists should be straight, your forearms should e parallel to the floor, and your elbows ought to be bent at right angles.
• Use attachable forearm rests or a wrist rest. You need to keep your wrists straight, so use a forearm rest that attaches to the chair, or a pad in front of the keyboard. Keep in mind, though, that your wrists shouldn’t be on the pad during work; rather, they should hover a half-inch over the pad.
• Put your chair at a proper height. While sitting at your computer, your knees should be bent at right angles and your feet should be flat on the floor.
• Rest your wrists. Rest them as often as you can, especially when not typing.
• Take frequent breaks. At least five minutes per break. Keep in mind that several small breaks are much better for your wrist than one long break.
• Stretch out. Stretch your wrists prior to beginning work, and stretch them during breaks.
• Exercise. This includes full-body conditioning, since being in good shape helps safe-guard against repetitive motion injuries.
A final note: If, like some clerks, you work at a computer while standing up, you are at an increased risk for CTS—typically, counters are not high enough to support using a straight wrist. In order to prevent injury, do lots of stretching and strengthening exercises and request that your employer make adjustments to your work station to prevent injury. Remind them that it is in their best interests as well as yours.
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