Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a major concern for millions of people who type during a large part of their workday. Web programmers, writers, data analysts, and many other office workers, scientists, and professionals will experience some discomfort in their hands and wrist after repetitive motions.
Even if you don’t type constantly, things like swimming, tennis, and weight lifting can cause CTS as well.
You can, however, avoid carpal tunnel syndrome by following these preventive practices.
Practice common sense
If you’re in a profession that makes you prone to CTS consider taking measures that will prevent this from happening to you. Any job where you use your hands and wrists extensively puts them at risk. Make sure you rest your hands and body enough and strengthen your wrists to avoid damaging them.
Optimize your workstation
It may be the job of your employer to make sure that you have a workstation that helps to prevent CTS and other repetitive stress injuries.
If this is not the case, take the matter into your own hands. Use ergonomic equipment like a keyboard pad, and take frequent breaks from repetitive work that puts your wrists and shoulders under a lot of stress.
Take care of yourself
Exercise and strengthen your hands and wrists in a way that doesn’t contribute to deterioration, but helps keep it at bay instead. The key thing to remember is that you’re looking for ways to exercise that avoid any extremes.
Being in overall good health will ensure you keep CTS at bay, and helps you to take prompt action when symptoms kick in.
Improve your posture
If you exercise regularly, it will help improve your posture, which is an essential aspect of successful CTS prevention. Are you following the experts’ recommendations for good posture when typing.
1) Your spine should rest against your chair along your mid-back.
2) Your shoulders and elbows should stay in a relaxed position.
3) Your wrists should remain in a horizontal position.
4) Your feet should either be on a footrest, or firmly touching the ground with the back of your knees forming a 90 degree angle.
5) Your screen should be at eye level to avoid strain on your neck and extra stress on your wrists and hands.
6) Your wrist should be lightly supported by a keyboard pad, but not rest heavily against it. Do not rest your wrists on the edge of your laptop.
Following all of these steps will help ensure that you minimize your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
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