Carpal tunnel syndrome affects many people, especially those who perform repetitive tasks. For example, drummer Dave Abbruzzese and baseball player David Price both have this condition caused by pounding on a snare drum repeatedly and throwing a ball continuously, respectively.
But this condition doesn’t just affect musicians and athletes. Anyone who uses their hands to perform tasks that are repetitive can develop carpal tunnel syndrome. If your job requires you to fill a container with liquid manually, for instance, you could develop this condition from pumping fluid every day.
If that were the case, it would be better if you use a piston filling machine to make your work easier. And on that note, if you want to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from affecting you, follow these suggestions.
Stretch your hands
Before you start working, stretch your hands and fingers to loosen up the muscles. You should also rotate your wrists clockwise and counter-clockwise to loosen up the joints. It’s like preparing to run a marathon: you stretch your legs and arms and rotate your ankles so that everything is loose when you start moving.
When you’ve started working, be sure to let your hands rest and stretch them for a few seconds now and then. This can alleviate the stress on the muscles in your hands, which may be getting a lot of strain from the repetitive motion.
Keep your hands warm
Cold temperatures can make your muscles feel a little stiff, so always keep your hands warm. Wear gloves when you’re working with something that’s cold. Whenever you have a chance to get a short break, find something to warm your hands.
Be healthy
Bad habits can lead you to carpal tunnel syndrome. According to doctors, smoking can increase your risk of developing this condition, as it makes it harder for your blood to flow freely. Being overweight also has an effect. To prevent your hands from feeling any numbness, tingling, or pain, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Don’t grab too hard
Many people develop carpal tunnel syndrome because they pound the keys on their laptops when they are typing or they bang the drum too hard when they are playing. You should find a middle ground in these situations. Find the right pressure in your grip so that the muscles in your hands won’t feel too stressed.
Don’t place your hands under you when sleeping
If you’re about to sleep, get in a position where your hands won’t get squished by your body. Either place them on your sides and sleep with your back flat on the bed or sleep on your side with your hands resting in front of you. You can also sleep with your chest flat on the bed, but make sure that your hands aren’t underneath your face or stomach
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be debilitating. But as long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle and let your hands rest every now and then, you’ll be able to prevent this condition from affecting you.
