Do you have pain when you are...
Typing, writing, sewing, painting, or playing musical instruments? Do you work on an assembly line and do the same repetitive movement day after day?

With more careers involving sitting at a desk all day and typing, the chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) increase. This ailment may cause numbness, muscle damage, or weakness in the hands and wrist. The main cause is due to pressure on the median nerve.

Here are your 5 tips to prevent CTS:
1. Correct your posture!
This means sitting with your back against the back of your seat while typing, knees bent comfortably and feet flat on the ground. This reduces strain on joints and muscles, ensures that you are positioned correctly without being tense, and minimizes chances of CTS or headaches.

2. Purchase the right equipment.
To minimize the stresses of typing, such as cushioned mouse pads, specialty keyboards, glove brace for your arm, etc.

3. Exercise and do workouts that will stimulate your wrists.
Move your body from time to time throughout the day no matter what your job entails.  Make it part of your routine that every hour stand up, dance about and make sure to move around your wrists. Stretch a lot during the day and practice yoga moves that will engage the arms and wrists.

4. Take Pain Killers (but talk to your MD first).
Ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs can help to reduce swelling and pressure. If your pain is intense, injections can be given to the area by a doctor for relief as well as there are surgical procedures that can cut the ligament causing stress on the nerve. Talk to your doctor first, of course.
The key thing is to remember to break into the repetition of your normal activities and stretch, move, flick that wrist so that blood flow and pressure is correct. Maintaining a full range of motion is important, so take out 5 minute breaks for every hour that you are working and do a couple of chair exercises so that you can utilize the full range of motion that your body was made to handle.

5. CALL US NOW 877-DRBACKS and get yourself looked at! Our offices provide surgical and non-surgical approach to treating CTS. Don't drop another pen without writing down our phone number!