Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and any other form of tendonitis or repetitive motion injury can be crippling for computer users and artists. There are even people who can no longer sit at the computer and have to stand or kneel down to get their work done. Even artists find it difficult to use their hands due to this problem.
The different Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) in the Wrist:
- Interruption of Sleep with Hands Numbness and in Pain
- Frequent Pain in Hand and Wrist
- Neck or shoulder pain on same side as hand discomfort.
- Poor Circulation of blood in Hands there by Hands falling asleep
- Weakness in Hand and Wrist- Pain Radiating up the Forearm
- Cold Hands
- Forearms warm and Loss of Grip Strength by Fore arms
- Loss of Feeling in Fingers and Thumb
- Dropping Objects especially small objects.
How to get relief from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
It is very important that your hand and wrist are in level with each other. There should be no angling up or down of the hand. They should be in the same level when your forearm is horizontal and parallel to the floor, and your upper arm should hang straight down, in a relaxed position.
Hence, your keyboard and mouse area (Ergonomic Mouse) should be fairly low, close to your lap.
If you find yourself lifting your shoulder, unconsciously, or tilting your wrist to raise your forearm to a comfortable level, your keyboard and mouse are not low enough. You can raise your chair, especially if you remove the center drawer of your desk, and use a footrest to keep your legs in a comfortable, supported position.
Don’t tense your legs to keep from falling forward — if you find yourself doing that, your chair is too far from the desk, is tilted forward, or is not giving you good back support. A footrest can help. Make sure you are sitting comfortably upright, with your lower back supported so that you can get relief.
It is equally important that your arms and wrists are fully supported on a resilient surface. See to it that your arms are not resting on the sharp edge of a table or shelf! You can use a folded hand towel for padding. It provides a soft surface with an easily adjustable height.
Once you establish a comfortable position for your arms and body, you are not still fully safe. As your keyboard and mouse force you to hold the same position for long periods of time, you have all chances of incurring repetitive motion injury.
You can try changing the mouse types every couple of weeks. You can shift from a rolling mouse to a track-ball, from a track-ball to a graphics tablet or other pointing devices. The longer you stick with one, the more repetitive motion injury you will cause. Once a tendon is inflamed it may take months or years to heal because very little blood flows in that area.
