If you work at the computer, it is important that the arms and wrist are supported adequately. Typing and using a mouse for an average of 8 hours a day without the correct support is likely to put strain on the median nerve and result in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of wrist pain. You may experience aching, burning, numbness, or tingling in your palm, wrist, thumb, or fingers. The thumb muscle may become weak, making it extremely difficult to grasp things. Pain can even extend up to your elbow.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when an important nerve (called the median nerve) gets compressed at the wrist because of swelling. Such swelling can occur in the office if you:

Do a repetitive motion with your wrist like typing on a computer keyboard and using a computer mouse.

• Are pregnant, menopausal, or overweight.
• Have diabetes, premenstrual syndrome, an underactive thyroid, or rheumatoid arthritis.

For the treatment and prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome, you may need to make adjustments to your work habits and environment by;

• Making sure your keyboard is low enough or flat so that your wrists aren’t bending upwards while you type
• Always use palm support products to help eliminate risk factors such as the Kensington Wrist Rest featured to your right
• Position your keyboard and mouse CLOSER to your body
• If you are suffering from a wrist related injury, take plenty of breaks from activities that aggravate the pain. When typing, make sure to stop often to rest the hands, even if only for a moment.
• Keep your forearms approximately parallel to the floor with your elbows at a 90-110° angle and keep the hand position level with or below the elbows position
• Rest your hands on their sides not the wrists.
• If all else fails, an occupational therapist can show you ways to ease pain and swelling and prevent the syndrome from coming back
• Medications like ibuprofen can relieve pain and swelling

For more Ergonomic Wrist Rests, just visit the site where you will find plenty of solutions to your comfort needs.

Did You Know?

1 in 30 people suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (a repetitive strain injury condition), throughout Europe.*

The average lifetime cost of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosis is £17,000.**

* www.bupa.co.uk

** www.hand-consultant.com

Would you wear a pair of pair of pants that are four inches too long, or a pair of shoes three sizes too small? Most people will answer this question: “No, I wouldn’t wear something that does not fit!” However, we often find ourselves in a work environment that doesn’t “fit.” Whether it be the chair is not the right height or wrists flopping around when typing….an ill fitting work environment can cause more than just discomfort.

Ergonomics refers to the science of fitting design- to people. In the workplace this is often misrepresented as just a physical task. But ergonomics is not just limited to the physical aspects of a worker. It also looks at: psychological aspects, worker limitations, social environment, physical environment, equipment, information, and work demands.

Applying ergonomics will: reduce accidents, reduce injury, reduce work absences, improve performance, and improve productivity. In the UK, there are many regulations that require not only risk assessment related to work place ergonomics, but employee health and safety training. Part of this safety training deals with posture. It does not matter how well the workplace is designed… if an employee has poor posture.

In the workplace, ergonomics focuses heavily on safety issues. Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is one common work place injury. It occurs from repetitive use of equipment (like a keyboard)while in bad posture. Yet, simple steps can avoid them. Here are two common causes of RSI in the workplace, and what to do:

When using a key board, the hand and forearm should be in alignment. The hand should not flex up and down. Using a proper wrist rest will ensure the wrist and hand will not flex. And, it will help you stay in a good posture position. The Fellowes Crystal Purple Gel Flex Rest is a good example of a stylish and comforatable wrist rest, which is greata for keeping the forearm in the correct position when using a mouse.

Keep feet flat on the floor and sit back in the chair. Many people with short statures tend to rest their feet on the chair, or only have the toes touch the floor, but this misaligns our body. A proper foot rest, such as the 5 Star Tilting Anti-Skid Office Foot Rest, can support the feet and push you back into the chair.

While there are laws in the UK that make employers comply with ergonomics in the work place, the regulations only work if the employee complies. Wrist rests and footrests may not seem important, but using them can prevent long term injuries. When you come home at the end of the day and your back, legs, wrist, etc… are hurting, that means you are not using good posture. Often we need help to align our bodies correctly. That is where wrist rests, footrests, and other adaptive equipment come in. Not everyone can touch the floor from a chair or have the wrist mobility to keep proper alignment. So, recognizing the signs of a problem are important. Speak out if you need these items and are not getting them.