How to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Using your fingers or wrists repetitively or forcefully often can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. To prevent this injury from occurring, you can either avoid the activities that lead to the syndrome or practice exercises and proper wrist movement procedures.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Prevent Carpal Tunnel

1. Follow proper office ergonomics to help prevent carpal tunnel. These include sitting, standing, typing or talking on the telephone in a manner that causes the least amount of stress on your body.
2. Adjust your keyboard or other office equipment at an even level with bent arms so there is no reaching or straining of wrists. Keep your arms as close to your body as possible when doing any activities that put strain on your wrists.
3. Exercise to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Keep any conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure and diabetes under control to help prevent carpal tunnel as well.
4. Talk to your boss or human resource department when work activities are causing repeated strain on your wrists. If you feel any numbness or tingling, it's better to look for a new way to finish the task or ask for help.

Do Carpal Tunnel Prevention Exercises

5. Stretch your fingers, wrists and hands if you are required to do a task increases the risk of carpal tunnel.
6. Extend your hands out in front of you, bend at the wrists so your fingers are pointing straight up and hold to a count of five.
7. Relax your hands for a count of five and make a tight fist with both hands for another count to five.
8. Bend your wrists down while holding the fists. Count to five and then bend the wrists back up and relax hands.
9. Hang arms at your sides and relax your hands, wrists and fingers. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 up to 10 times to stretch your wrists and hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Set up your office so there's no need to strain to do any tasks. Repeating the same irritating motions day in and out may lead to carpal tunnel.
• Obesity can contribute to strain on the fingers and wrists, which may lead to carpal tunnel.