Pain in the wrists can be indicative of a larger underlying cause.
Numbing and/or pain in the forearm as far down as the hand, has become a pretty common problem these days. You often hear it referred to as, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. It can be a pretty persistent problem, especially if the focus of your treatment is only on the area of pain.
The repetitive movements associated to computer use, play a large roll in the condition, but that's not all.
Numbing and/or pain in the forearm as far down as the hand, has become a pretty common problem these days. You often hear it referred to as, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. It can be a pretty persistent problem, especially if the focus of your treatment is only on the area of pain.
The repetitive movements associated to computer use, play a large roll in the condition, but that's not all.
Poor posture and working at a computer without elbow supports are two important factors that need to be resolved immediately. Sitting with your head pushed forward toward the computer monitor and your shoulders rounded, cause the structures in the front of the neck and chest to compress the nerves of that area. This diminishes the efficiency of nerve and blood flow to the arm and hands which makes you much more susceptible to developing problems with your wrists and forearms.
The only way to really correct carpal tunnel syndrome, without surgery, is to be very diligent with your corrective exercises. If you can't commit to doing them, you will eventually require more invasive intervention.
If you're presently getting treatment for this condition, ask your therapist to work on the tissue in the front area of your neck, called, the scalene muscles. I've found this area to be particularly problematic, and it does not necessarily have to be painful to be causing your problem. They're definitely worth checking out if the therapist has just been focusing on the wrist and forearm.
Tension in the upper back can be a major player in the overall condition. Some treatment in the upper back and behind the shoulders is an absolute must.
Now, let's cover what you need to start doing for yourself. For the posture and upper back, I recommend:
Postural wall exercise
Back and shoulder extensions
Back rolling
To relieve tension in the forearm and wrist I recommend:
Deep forearm stretch
Try to loosen up your hands from time to time. Some people grab hold of objects far too hard; like their tooth brush or steering wheel of the car. Like I said earlier, you need to sit up straight at the computer and get a chair with arm rests, that will actually allow you to use them while you type or use the mouse.
Commit yourself to fixing this problem, through hard work and patience. The carpal tunnel condition is really alerting you to a much greater problem that can cause far more aches and pains in the future; other than just the wrists.
This post is not intended to replace a consultation with your health care provider.
The only way to really correct carpal tunnel syndrome, without surgery, is to be very diligent with your corrective exercises. If you can't commit to doing them, you will eventually require more invasive intervention.
If you're presently getting treatment for this condition, ask your therapist to work on the tissue in the front area of your neck, called, the scalene muscles. I've found this area to be particularly problematic, and it does not necessarily have to be painful to be causing your problem. They're definitely worth checking out if the therapist has just been focusing on the wrist and forearm.
Tension in the upper back can be a major player in the overall condition. Some treatment in the upper back and behind the shoulders is an absolute must.
Now, let's cover what you need to start doing for yourself. For the posture and upper back, I recommend:
Postural wall exercise
Back and shoulder extensions
Back rolling
To relieve tension in the forearm and wrist I recommend:
Deep forearm stretch
Try to loosen up your hands from time to time. Some people grab hold of objects far too hard; like their tooth brush or steering wheel of the car. Like I said earlier, you need to sit up straight at the computer and get a chair with arm rests, that will actually allow you to use them while you type or use the mouse.
Commit yourself to fixing this problem, through hard work and patience. The carpal tunnel condition is really alerting you to a much greater problem that can cause far more aches and pains in the future; other than just the wrists.
This post is not intended to replace a consultation with your health care provider.
Every gameboy playin text'r twitter'r chatter'r kid is going to have bad wrists. A good future would be in physio if not surgeon. It used to be just juvenile males who were at high risk. Now we're all on the same road to carpalville.
People that come to see me know that I won’t work with them if they don’t do their exercises but I realize so many other people just won’t get around to doing them. It has repercussions in that it prolongs physio care and inevitably puts people on the surgeon’s waiting list. Your right, it’s a win-win for both professions.
Hi Sean,
I have been doing the back roll and arm stretch for about a year and they work. I will combine the other 2 as I suspect will help further. I agree working on the computer all day does create its share of problems and these simple exercises does provide alot of relief and prevent further injury.
Thanks for taking the time to help us all.
Pat
Thanks for taking the time to comment Pat! It’s my pleasure to share the things that I’ve found to help with these persistent pains. I find that far too often, the chosen route to resolve these problems is treatment, but that only accounts for a very small part of the cure. I’m happy you’ve persisted with the exercises.