Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Prevention

Techniques and Tools for Reducing Force from Hand Tools

The force placed on the fingers, hands, and wrists by a repetitive task contributes importantly to CTS. To alleviate the effect of force on the wrist, tools and tasks should be designed so that the wrist position is the same as it would be if the arms dangled in a relaxed manner at the sides.

No task should require the wrist to deviate from side to side or to remain flexed or highly extended for long periods.
The handles of hand tools such as screwdrivers, scrapers, paint brushes, and buffers should be designed so that the force of the worker's grip is distributed across the muscle between the base of the thumb and the little finger, not just in the center of the palm.
People who need to hold any tools (and that includes pencils and steering wheels) for long periods of time should grip them as loosely as possible.
In order to apply force appropriately, the ability to feel an object is extremely important. Tools with textured handles are helpful.
Working at low temperatures, which reduces sensation in hands and fingers, should be avoided if possible.
Power tools and machines should be designed to minimize vibrations.
Wearing thick gloves, if possible, may lessen the shock transmitted to the hands and wrists. One 2001 study found, however, that wearing gel-padded gloves clearly increased comfort but did not actually protect against compression-induced CTS.

Hand and Wrist Exercises for Prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Hand and wrist exercises may help reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Isometric and stretching exercises can strengthen the muscles in the wrists and hands, as well as the neck and shoulders, improving blood flow to these areas. Performing the simple exercises described below for four to five minutes every hour may be helpful.

Exercises for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Wrists	Exercise 1. Make a loose right fist, palm up, and use the left hand to press gently down against the clenched hand. Resist the force with the closed right hand for five seconds. Be sure to keep the wrist straight. Turn the right fist palm down and press the knuckles against the left open palm for five seconds. Finally, turn the right palm so the thumb-side of the fist is up and press down again for five seconds. Repeat with the left hand.
	Exercise 2. Hold one hand straight up shoulder-high with fingers together and palm facing outward. (The position looks like a shoulder-high salute.) With the other hand, bend the hand being exercised backward with the fingers still held together and hold for five seconds. Spread the fingers and thumb open while the hand is still bent back and hold for five seconds. Repeat five times for each hand.
	Exercise 3. (Wrist Circle) Hold the second and third fingers up and close the others. Draw five clockwise circles in the air with the two finger tips. Draw five more counterclockwise circles. Repeat with the other hand.
Fingers and Hand	Exercise 1. Clench the fingers of one hand into a fist tightly. Release, fanning out the fingers. Do this five times. Repeat with the other hand.
	Exercise 2. To exercise the thumb, bend it against the palm beneath the little finger and hold for five seconds. Spread the fingers apart, palm up, and hold for five seconds. Repeat five to 10 times with each hand.
	Exercise 3. Gently pull the thumb out and back and hold for five seconds. Repeat five to 10 times with each hand.
Forearms (stretching these muscles will reduce tension in the wrist)	Place the hands together in front of the chest, fingers pointed upward in a prayer-like position. Keeping the palms flat together, raise the elbows to stretch the forearm muscles. Stretch for 10 seconds. Gently shake the hands limp for a few seconds to loosen them. Repeat frequently when the hands or arms tire from activity.
Neck and Shoulders	Exercise 1. Sit upright and place the right hand on top of the left shoulder. Hold that shoulder down and slowly tip the head down toward the right. Keep the face pointed forward, or even turned slightly toward the right. Hold this stretch gently for five seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Neck and Shoulders	Exercise 2. Stand in a relaxed position with the arms at the side. Shrug the shoulders up, then squeeze the shoulders back, then stretch the shoulders down, and then press them forward. The entire exercise should take about seven seconds.