Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which there is excessive pressure on the median nerve. This nerve runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand through a small space called the carpal tunnel. It is responsible for allowing feeling and movement to parts of the hand. Pressure on this nerve can result from swelling or anything that makes the carpal tunnel smaller. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, pregnancy, obesity, smoking, wrist injuries, work stress, and repetitive hand movements.

There are several ways you can attempt to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, such as exercising to stay at a healthy weight, controlling your diet, avoid smoking, and arranging your work space using ergonomic guidelines. We will focus on work place ergonomics in this post. Office ergonomics focuses on how a workstation is set up, including the placement of your desk, computer monitor, paperwork, and chair. The same ideas can help you arrange your position for other daily activities. Not only do these ergonomics help reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome but following the guidelines portrayed in the picture below can decrease the risk of other musculoskeletal injuries.