While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has been a medical condition for quite some time, more and more people are reporting pain in their wrists and hands as a result of their computer-related work.  It used to be that musicians and hand-workers suffered in the sensitive carpal tunnel area, but now anyone who repeatedly uses their hands and wrists to type, mouse, or text can be a victim of CTS.  

Read below for a definition, symptoms, and some ergonomic tips to help you escape the pain and discomfort of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition named for the long, thin passageway known as the carpal tunnel.  The tunnel is about the size of your thumb and is on the palm side of your hand; it is surrounded by ligaments and bones.  The tunnel serves as a protective barrier for the median nerve that runs through the arm and into the wrist, hand, and fingers. This essential nerve sends the signal to bend and move the fingers. That's why straining this tunnel can be so painful- it is the center for all major hand, wrist, and finger movements.  When certain movements are repeated frequently or excessive pressure is put on this particular area, a host of symptoms may appear, often making the simplest of tasks difficult and even painful for many.

What Are Some Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

You'll typically notice pain in the hand, wrist, or fingers.  Some people feel burning, tingling, or even numbness in those areas, which can be not only frightening but a real liability for work. If you notice any pain, burning, tingling, or numbness, do not hesitate to contact a doctor, and at the very least spend time correcting your typing posture and habits. Check out the tips below to avoid the onset of CTS and find relief.

Tips for Relief of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Correct your posture.  You may not realize that there is proper and improper hand and wrist positioning.  Essentially, DON'T bend or cock your wrists.  DO everything you can to avoid cocking or bending of your wrists.  If you feel pain as you are typing, texting, or mousing, stop what you are doing and re-position yourself.

• Try ergonomic products.  In particular, an ergonomic keyboard is designed to better your hands, while an ergonomic mouse makes mousing more natural and less straining for your wrists.  Regardless of what keyboard and mouse you're using, be sure to keep them side-by-side and on the same surface to reduce movement and therefore injury.  So, lastly, a keyboard tray will store both and at a lower spot so your arms, wrists, and hands can work more comfortably.
• Wear a wrist splint. If you're already experiencing wrist pain, one of the trouble spots is night time.  So often, we flex our wrists and sleep with them in quite odd positions, never even aware of it.  Thus, wearing a wrist splint at night time can protect you from doing more harm.

Using an ergonomic keyboard and ergonomic mouse at work and wearing a wrist splint at night can greatly reduce wrist pain and injury.

Halloween is coming! As my kids talk about it, I have also been considering what really scares me. I was thinking back to the few months where is had the initial signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I am really thankful I found good advice to improve and avoid it. As a freelance writer, long term injury in my wrists is indeed a scary thought. Take a few moments to learn how to protect yourself.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the compression, or constriction, of the important median nerve traveling through the sensitive carpal tunnel area in your wrist. It is often associated with the repetitive typing. The main symptom is numbness in the thumb and half of the fingers. You may also experience tingling, burning sensations and a loss of gripping strength. Some people have swelling in the hand that worsens overnight. For me, it was numbness in my thumb and pain in my wrist and forearm, that would often spread through my arm and shoulder by the end of the day.

How can you prevent CTS?

CTS is most commonly believed to result from pressure on the carpal tunnel area caused by poor posture and overworked muscles. Here are some important tips for healthier keyboarding habits:

• Improve your posture. Good posture is the key to injury-free, pain-free typing. Start with a good ergonomic chair for proper support. Adjustable lumbar support can be easily added to any chair, or, in a pinch, try a rolled up towel. Also, make sure your feet rest firmly on the ground.
• Adjust your keyboard. You keyboard should be slightly lower than height of your elbows, about an inch or two above your lap. It can also relieve write pressure to have the keyboard sloping slightly away from your body. An easy-to-use keyboard tray provides the best flexibility for keyboard position and angle.
• Use correct hand positions. These keyboarding techniques can keep you from injuring the muscles and tendons in your wrists. 1) Your hands should lightly hover over the keys while you are typing. 2) Never rest the weight of your hands or arms directly on your wrists; this puts pressure on the sensitive carpal tunnel area. Between keystrokes, you can rest on the ball of your hand. 3) Keep your hands and fingers curved, as if you are loosely holding a golf ball.  A good, ergonomic keyboard helps supports good hand posture. Try out several different shapes and sizes to find one that feels comfortable to you.
• Press the keys lightly. There is no need to pound on the keys. A light touch will help minimize the work and pressure for your muscles.
• Never stretch or reach for a key. Move your entire hand and arm when pressing the higher keys, such as the numbers. Also, remember always use both hands for two-key combos. If you use your Shift key (or Ctrl or Alt) with an additional key, press the Shift key with one hand and the second key with the opposite hand.  Stretching or straining to press higher keys or two keys at once adds incredible pressure to your sensitive wrist tendons.

Carpal tunnel injuries can be very serious and cause significant discomfort. A good, ergonomic keyboard encourages you to use proper hand positions, and a flexible keyboard tray allow for the perfect placement to minimize wrist pressure. If you catch it early, you can establish simple effective habits that reduce pain and prevent further any injury.

Ergonomic Tips for Healthy Typing

As computer users, we often over-work our arm and hand muscles while typing. The worst part is that most of the resulting pain and discomfort could be avoided with better typing habits and hand posture. Try these tips for ergonomic posture and typing to improve your productivity and protect you from injury or pain.

• Sit up straight! Good posture is the most important change you can make to relieve (or prevent) pain and muscle strain. Rest your feet firmly on the ground while sitting, and make sure your chair provides sufficient lumbar support for your lower back. A good, ergonomic chair can go a long way to improving your comfort at work.
• Move your keyboard. Start by evaluating the placement of your keyboard. For the best angle and lowest muscle strain, your keyboard should sit an inch or two above your legs with a slight negative slope away from your body. Also, the space bar should be perfectly centered to your body. Try using a keyboard tray for fast, easy adjustments to fit any user.
• Keep your wrists straight and flat. Never bend your wrists to the sides or pull your hands upward while typing. Instead, there should be a straight line from your elbow, through your arms and hands, down to your middle finger. Also, your arms and wrists should always be level with one another, running almost parallel to your lap.
• Float your hands over the keyboard. Curve your hands loosely and let them gently hover over the keys. Don’t rest on the keyboard or wrist rest while you are typing. While not typing, you can lean on the ball of your hands, but never rest directly on the wrists or you risk injury to the carpal tunnel area.
• Never stretch your hand to reach a key. When you stretch your wrists or fingers to reach the higher keys, you strain to the muscles and tendons. Instead, move your entire hand and arm to press the needed key. And always use two hands for two-key combos, such as Shift (or Ctrl or Alt) in combination with another key.
• Press the keys gently. You should never need to pound on a keyboard. Typing lightly can lower muscle use and strain in your hands, wrists and forearms.
• Upgrade your keyboard.  Ergonomic keyboards are designed to help you use healthy typing posture. Try out different shapes and designs to find one that meets your needs and best fits your hands.

Small changes in your posture and habits can improve your keyboarding health. Upgrade to an ergonomic keyboard that fits your hands and helps you keep your hands in proper position.  Also, try an ergonomic chair to recover your posture and comfort at work. Using ergonomic typing tips can keep you safe from pain and injury.

Do you experience pain or numbness in your wrist, hands or forearms after a long day at your computer? Here are some tips to provide immediately pain relief and to prevent further injury.

Immediate Relief from Pain

• Apply cold compresses or ice. Cold packs can reduce the inflammation and pain in the wrists and hands. Remember not to apply ice directly to the skin and only use it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
• Try over the counter medication. Some anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen quickly relieve pain, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist before adding taking any new medicine.
• Use a wrist splint. A good wrist splint will keeps your hand and wrist straight and flat, not bent or held back. Most people benefit greatest from using a splint at night when they to flex their wrists without realizing it. Check out this article about how and when to wear a wrist splint.

Using Ergonomic Tools to Reduce and Prevent Pain

• Maintain good your hand and wrist posture.  There are a few great tips that can help protect your hands and wrists. First, let your hands lightly hover over the keyboard while typing. Secondly, relax hands and finger in a slightly curved posture. Thirdly, keep your wrists level, never flexed or bent upward, and keep your hands, wrists and arms straight.
• Use your wrist rest properly. Never place pressure directly on your wrist as this will agitate the carpal tunnel area. Use the ball of your hand on your wrist rest to support your hands. And don’t try to rest your hands or wrists while you are actively typing. Learn how to benefit from a wrist rest while avoiding the drawbacks.
• Upgrade to an ergonomic keyboard that is designed to encourage good hand and wrist posture. Choose one that feels comfortable and fits your hands. The classic split keyboard is gently curved to support the shape of your hands and wrists. The new mini keyboards are compactly designed with the keys closer together, eliminating the reach and strain often experienced with standard keyboards.
• Adjust your keyboard placement to encourage relaxed posture in your wrists and hands. Your keyboard should sit about an inch or two above your lap with your forearms parallel to your thighs, and the keys should slope away from your body at a slight angle. An ergonomic keyboard tray can make this angle and placement fast and easy. 

Don’t ignore pain in your wrists! Try a good wrist splint to provide protection and time for the muscles to heal. And upgrade to ergonomic keyboard to restore better posture in your hands and wrists. These simple changes can help prevent your current discomfort from becoming a serious injury.

If you spend most of your day typing at a computer, chances are you have experience soreness or numbness in your hands and wrists after a long week. You may be agitating the sensitive carpal tunnel area in your wrist, which can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Here are a few tips to improving your keyboarding health and preventing future injury.

• Reposition your keyboard and mouse. Your keyboard should be slightly lower than height of your elbows, about an inch or two above your lap. Using a slight negative tilt away from your body will make it easier to keep your hands and wrists relaxed. Try using a fully articulated, keyboard tray to allow for easy, fast adjustment of your keyboard’s position and angle.
• Check your hand and wrist posture. It is so easy to forget or overlook the rules for healthy typing, but they are not only to make typing faster, but also to protect you from injury. First, relax your hands and fingers. Let your hands lightly hover over the keys and use a light touch when typing. Next, always keep your hands and wrists straight while typing, forming straight line from your elbow, through your wrists and down your middle finger.  Lastly, keep your wrists level with your hands and arms; never flex them, or bend them upward.  If you are experiencing discomfort, a wrist splint can help support good wrist posture.
• Upgrade your keyboard. Ergonomic keyboards are specifically designed to help you maintain good hand and wrist posture. There are several different styles and sizes; try them out before deciding which would benefit you the most. The split keyboard is gently curved to follow and support the natural shape of your hands and wrists. The compact design of the mini keyboard pulls the keys are closer together, eliminating the straining that sometimes occurs when reaching for a key.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a serious injury that can affect your daily life. Changing you habits and equipment can help. Install a flexible keyboard tray to quickly optimize the position and angle of your keyboard and mouse.  Also, upgrade to an ergonomic keyboard to provide better support for your hands and wrists. Take the time to change your habits and protect yourself from injury and pain.