Prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

You can help prevent CTS by taking the following precautions:

• Reduce your force and relax your grip. Studies show that most people use four to five times more force than necessary to perform most tasks involving the hands. If your work involves hitting keys, hit them softly. If you frequently write by hand, use a big pen with an oversized, soft grip adapter and free-flowing ink. This way, you will not have to grip the pen tightly or press hard on the paper.

• Take frequent breaks. Every 15 to 20 minutes, give your hands and wrists a break by gently stretching and bending them. Also alternate tasks when possible. For example, type for 15 minutes then do some phone work for 5 minutes. If you use equipment that vibrates or on which you exert a great amount of force, taking breaks is even more important.

• Watch your form. Avoid bending your wrist all the way up or down. A relaxed middle position is best. If you use a keyboard, keep it at elbow height or slightly lower.

• Improve your posture. The tendency to roll the shoulders forward shortens the neck and shoulder muscles, compressing nerves in the neck. This, in turn, can affect the wrist, fingers and hand.

• Keep your hands warm. You're more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome if you work in a cold environment. If you can't control the temperature at work, put on fingerless gloves that keep your hands and wrists warm.

• Use ergonomically designed equipment. If you use a computer, try using a track ball instead of a mouse if you're on a computer all day, or position your keyboard at elbow height or lower so that it reduces stress and increases efficiency. Also try to use proper seating. The height of your seat and position of your backrest should be adjustable. The chair should be on wheels so you can move easily, and arm rests are also helpful.

On a large scale, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the redesign of tools or tool handles to enable the user's wrist to maintain a more natural position during work. Other recommendations have involved modifying the layouts of workstations. Other approaches include altering the existing method for performing the job task, providing more frequent rest breaks, and rotating workers across jobs.