subject: Carpal Tunnel: Learn About The Exercises That Can Prevent This Syndrome [print this page] If you spend hours at a computer each day, your hands are at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. This issue occurs when you stay in the same position for several hours at a time, eventually resulting in intense pain in your wrists and hands.
If you ignore the problem and keep up the habits that caused it, you could lose the ability to move them at all. Fortunately, this does not mean that you need to stop using a computer altogether, but that you should incorporate some exercises into your daily routine.
You might already get up to stretch every so often, or perhaps you take coffee breaks throughout your day. The best way to stop carpal tunnel from developing or worsening is to add some hand exercises into your day. The main cause of this issue is staying in the same position everyday, moving each hand and wrist the same way. You probably roll or stretch your neck sometimes just to get the blood flowing; so why not do the same for your hands?
Hand and wrist exercises not only strengthen the muscles and tendons in the area, but also increase blood flow. This means they will get cramped up less, and are less likely to hurt. In fact, exercise can even decrease the pain for people who already have carpal tunnel.
One simple stretch involves putting both hands in front of you, extending the arms so they are straight, and then flexing your wrists backwards. You should hold this stretch for about five seconds, and then reverse your wrists, stretching them forward.
You can also make a fist and then spell out your name in the air using your index finger. Be sure to keep your wrists rotating as you spell out names or words for a few minutes. Even repeatedly making fists, squeezing for five seconds, and then straightening your fingers a few times per day is a start.
The fear of developing carpal tunnel syndrome should not stop you from working, writing a book, or spending time chatting on the computer with friends. You should not let the issue rule your life, but you can prevent it.
Many people make a conscious effort to exercise several days a week, but forget about the health of their hand and wrist. Just spending ten minutes per day stretching each hand, wrist, and finger can keep carpal tunnel at bay, helping you avoid the pain and limitations associated with it.
