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I was contacted earlier this week to see if I would be interested in this article as a guest post. I know that I spend an enormous amount of time tapping at the keys and if I developed carpal tunnel, I’d be sunk. So in the interest of helping to keep writers healthy, here we go!
Avoiding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as median neuropathy at the wrist,
is a condition where the median nerve gets compressed to the wrist,
which leads to paresthesias, muscle weakness and numbness in the
hands. In the majority of carpal tunnel syndrome cases, the risk is
determined by genetics as well as the use of the arm and environmental
factors.
The current debate is whether repetitive motion, such as typing on a
keyboard, adds to the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. However,
scientific data that is available from the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health states that jobs involving exceedingly
repetitive tasks and certain wrist postures are associated with carpal
tunnel syndrome, yet no cause has been established.
Carpal tunnel syndrome most commonly affects persons of either sex,
but especially females from 30 to 60 years of age. When you make your
living by working on the web, repetitive wrist movement is a part of
your everyday life. However, there are ways to help you avoid being
stricken with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Tips To Prevent Carpal Tunnel
1. Arrange the space where you do your work with adjustable work
surfaces, keyboards and screens in order to get rid of any extra
strain on your hands and wrists. Position the keyboard of your
computer so that it is at the same level as your elbow. Your hands,
wrists and forearms need to be parallel to the floor and in a straight
line when typing.
2. Wrist pads for your keyboard are helpful. A cushioned wrist pad
will provide you with support under the wrists for the length of the
keyboard, taking stress away from your wrists as it raises them to the
proper level.
3. Before and after working on the web, it is important to exercise.
Stand with both arms extended away from your chest with the palms out
and fingers pointed upward. Stay just like that as you count to five.
Next, straighten your wrists and relax your fingers, making a tight
fist with both hands. Bend your wrists down for a count of five.
Repeat these steps ten times before and after each work session to
help avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.
4. Take a short break for every hour of work that you do at your
keyboard. While on your break, get up and breathe deeply and slowly.
Letting your arms hand loose, shake yourself for just a couple of
seconds to prevent muscle tension.
5. When you are working at your computer, remember to sit up straight.
Also, keep in mind that it is better to lightly tap the keys, rather
than bang out your messages.
6. If the type of work you are doing on the web is repetitive, be sure
to break up work sessions with other types of work to give both your
hands and your eyes a break.
7. Voice recognition software is available that will allow you to give
your hands a break without taking too much time away from your work.
Your body will tell you when it has had enough; it is up to you to
listen. If you start to notice numbness or tingling in your hands, do
not ignore it. Follow this simple advice, and the tips above, and you
will be able to continue working online for years to come.
Dena White is a freelance author and writes about healthcare career
topics, such as how to obtain an online nursing degree,
tips for job advancement, and more.
Some good stuff here. I don’t (at least so far) have problems with Carpal Tunnel but I do have a bulging disk in my lower back and if I sit in one spot for too long my back starts hurting.
One thing which helps goes right along with this article.
Before I start in the morning, I try to do a few back stretches to get things going. Then it’s important throughout the day to make sure I get up and move around. Keeps things loose.
.-= John Hoff – WpBlogHost´s last blog ..New Regulations For USA Bloggers May Be Around The Corner =-.
Well what a great idea for an article. I don’t suffer from any writing-related problem myself, but my auntie suffered from carpal tunnel working decades as a seamstress, and I know she found it very painful and had to have a couple of operations. It’s something people don’t really think about when using the keyboard. Interesting stuff. Thanks.
.-= Iain Broome´s last blog ..Why bloggers should perform their writing =-.
Hi John,
I struggle with back issues now and then myself. It makes it hard to focus, and it frustrates me when I’m inspired to write but can’t sit in one spot long enough to get it done.
George
Iain,
My mom went through it as well, even though she hasn’t done repetitive work in years. Surgery and then wrist braces for a while – bummer.
George
For me, heavy mouse use is more of a problem than typing on a keyboard. I generally watch my wrist position on the keyboard. However, if I have a project involving a lot of graphics manipulation, I tend to focus on what I’m doing on the screen, and ignore the fact that I’ve had my hand arched over the mouse for too long until my hand starts to cramp, or my ring and little finger start to tingle.
Margaret,
I’m a mouse victim as well. Switching to a trackball seemed to solve a lot of the issues, but it took some getting used to.
Thanks for coming by and contributing!
George