Preventing and healing* Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
& Repetitive Stress Injuries

by Ellen Serber,
illustrations by Daniel Will-Harris 

*Carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress disorders are preventable. The best possible scenario is never to develop symptoms, to work  intelligently and to respect your body's needs. But if trouble does begin it is extremely important to act immediately, before the symptoms become a big problem. Pain and burning are the #1 indicators that something is wrong. The  discomfort and pain can be in your fingers, hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, neck, upper back or lower back. It is much better to take these preventative steps while you are pain-free, instead of waiting for major dysfunction. And if  you are experiencing symptoms, you should see a health care professional immediately. 

Checklist for Prevention:

The most important thing to do is to  get up from your desk and move around every 1/2 hour. Take your eyes off your computer screen and gaze into the far distance. Drink a glass of water. Some computers  have alarm clock functions which can be set to remind you to get up. If you don't have such a function there are shareware programs you can download which will act as a timer (there are many to choose from, go to www.shareware.com and search for "timer" and you'll see a large selection of free timers you can run on your computer).  

Stay aware of your posture while you are sitting at your desk working and observe your attitude about task completion. It is as important to take care of the "tool", your body, as the task.

Do not eat your lunch at your desk. During your lunch break do an activity that involves physical exercise: walking, go to the gym, shopping.

Include full body stretches in  your daily activity, emphasize the upper body. Stretch before you go to sleep at night.

Observe your sleeping position. Don't curl up your wrists or put your arm under your head when sleeping on your side.  Make sure that you have the right pillow height for sleeping. The neck should be supported, but too many pillows will create problems as well. You want the head to rest comfortably. The neck should be in line with the rest of the spine.

Check that your work station is set up correctly. Monitor screen should be eye level or below eye level. New keyboards and mouse designs can help prevent strain. (See SoreHand for suggestions.)

Develop an exercise program that includes upper body strength, so that you can sit comfortably in an upright  position without slouching. The program must also include exercise for flexibility, to stretch out the contracted muscles of the wrist, arm, shoulder, neck and upper back. 

If pain persists, go to a competent health-care professional who is experienced in treating carpal tunnel and repetitive stress disorders.

Sample Exercises

Here are some yoga-based exercises which you can do in the  office during the course of the day to help prevent carpal tunnel and repetitive stress injuries. Hold the positions for a few breaths and let the stretch increase but do not force it. The most important part of each exercise is to become  aware of your body and your breathe. For a complete list of exercises, visit MyDailyYoga.com

1. Full body stretch at the wall & stretching the shoulders

Stand up facing the wall and reach your fingers up as far as you can. While you stretch up also stretch down by placing your feet firmly into the floor. Firm up your legs, extend the side of the  torso and bring the shoulder blades towards the wall. Breathe fully as you stretch, walking your fingers up the wall.

Move little away from the wall so that your torso is diagonal to your hips and press both palms into the wall equally. Press into the ground with your feet, firm up your legs and  release your tailbone away from the wall. Lift up the ribs and let your head drop slightly. You can also do this with the back of a chair. Place your hands on the chair and walk back until your torso is extended parallel with the  floor. Firm up the legs, lift up your abdominal muscles and lift the ribs while releasing the spine, tailbone away from the chair and top of the spine towards it.

2. Forearm and wrist

Place the right palm at the wall, spreading your fingers equally. Extend your elbow and  press the palm fully into the wall. Wait a few breaths and then turn your head to the left, bringing the tip of the right shoulder blade in towards the front of your body. Hold and breathe.

Ellen Serber is a yoga teacher, certified in the Iyengar tradition and a Tai Chi Chu'an teacher, certified by Sifu Kuo Lien Ying.   She has been teaching in Northern California since 1970.  Her writing has appeared in Somatics, Yoga Journal and International Journal of Yoga Therapy.  She can be contacted via email.
 
Daniel Will-Harris is the editor of eFuse.com. He is a writer and designer whose work can be found at his Web site. His site features TypoFile Magazine and EsperFonto, the Web's only typeface selection system. He may be reached via e-mail at daniel@will-harris.com.