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  [podcast]http://tumblemoose.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/7tipsjuly42009.mp3[/podcast]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.