Carpal tunnel syndrome is also known as the median nerve compression that gives numbness in the thumb and all the other fingers aside from the pinky. Symptoms are felt when the median nerve runs to the wrist through the carpal tunnel, made of bone and ligament, that gets squeezed and pinches the median nerve.
This syndrome is most common on people whose hobby puts a strain on the hands and wrists. Once symptoms are felt, it is advisable to make sure it does not get worse. But the good news is that there are things that a person can do to prevent it from happening.
Although there is no one sure way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, there are ways to reduce the stress and strain on the hands and wrists.
1. Softer touch will do
People go through their routines and then would get used to doing things in a specific manner. Without realizing, they are already using too much force than needed to get a job done. For example, holding a tool too tightly when holding it firmly could be enough already or when pounding into the keyboard when gentle strokes will be enough.
People should keep their eyes on how tense their hands and wrists are and the amount of pressure they put on them.
2. Take a break
Who says taking a break is bad? Stepping away for a little while to take a break to stretch the hands is helpful to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Take at least ten to 15 minutes to break every hour, especially when using tools that vibrate or require force to work.
3. Try this simple stretching exercises
Between those breaks, try to do some stretching exercises:
- Make a fist
- Slide your fingers up until they point straight out/ Release your fingers and fan them out. Stretch them as far as you can.
- Repeat 5-10 times
4. Maintain a neutral position
Avoid bending the wrist too much up or down. Merely keeping the position of the wrist in a straight and neutral place will take the pressure off the median curve, hence preventing carpal tunnel syndrome.
It would also help to wear a wrist brace when sleeping or during activities that trigger the symptoms.
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5. Mix up tasks to give the muscle a break
Switching hand and wrist motions will help give the muscles a break. Avoid making the same hand and wrist motions whenever doing a task. If one hand usually does that task, switch it up with the other hand from time to time or mix up the tasks to give a chance for the muscles to relax.
6. Be mindful of posture
Carpal tunnel syndrome mainly involves the hands and the wrists but making sure that one has the right body posture can also make a difference. Poor posture may lead to rolling the shoulders forward, which sets off a chain reaction to the neck and shoulder muscles that crunches the nerves in the neck and make the wrist problems worse.
7. Keep hands and wrists warm
The symptoms could get worse if a person feels cold or in pain. Putting on gloves with no fingers could help as they make the hands warm and loose.
8. Talk to the manager
When working in the office, it could trigger the symptoms. Try talking to your supervisor or manager about changing the workspace for a chance to alter anything either in the workstation setup to tool handles and to how tasks are done. If it is possible to trade off places with co-workers to avoid doing the same task over and over, might as well try to ask.
When working with a computer, try adjusting the keyboard position, so the wrist does not bend when typing, and keep elbows close to the side.
9. See a medical professional
It is also advisable to visit a medical professional, specifically an occupational therapist, as they can help in addressing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. They teach exercises in stretching and strengthening the hand and wrist muscles and guiding their clients to change routine motions into something that sees away the stress on the hands and wrists.
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