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Hand and wrists pain can be caused by a wide variety of conditions and behaviors. Issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger are often caused or exacerbated by repetitive strenuous motions of the hands and wrists. To prevent injuries like these, and to lower soreness and cramping in your hands and wrists, try some of these simple tips.
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15 Ways to Prevent Hand and Wrist Pain Renova Hand and Foot Centers May 2014
Practical Tips for Healthy Hands Hand and wrists pain can be caused by a wide variety of conditions and behaviors. Issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger are often caused or exacerbated by repetitive strenuous motions of the hands and wrists. To prevent injuries like these, and to lower soreness and cramping in your hands and wrists, try some of these simple tips.
Stretch Often 1. Many of our daily activities like typing, texting, and driving, cause us to hold our hands and wrists in stiff, awkward positions. To counteract this, try stretches that help limber up your fingers, palms, and wrists. Simple yoga poses, like prayer pose and upward bound finger pose, can help.Women stretching at yoga class.
Shake and Hydrate 2. After you stretch your hands, simply shake them out. This can relieve a bit of tension and improve circulation, which will help prevent cramping in the fingers and thumb. 3. Muscle cramps can be brought on by dehydration and loss of electrolytes. Staying hydrated can help prevent painful hand cramps, particularly if you have been experiencing cramping after you exercise.
Vitamins and Breaks 4. In addition to dehydration, muscle cramps can be caused by a lack of Vitamin D and potassium. Boosting these in your diet may help prevent further cramping in the hands. 5. One of the most important ways to prevent a repetitive strain injury (RSI) is to allow yourself time to rest. Whether you are playing a sport, sewing or crocheting, or using tools at work, finding time to rest your hands can help prevent and alleviate hand pain.
Change Your Routing / Talk to Your Doc 6. Modify your routines. You may find that altering the way you carry out your daily activities alleviates stress in your hands and wrists. If you practice yoga, for example, there are many ways to modify poses so that you are not putting more weight on your wrists than they can handle. 7. Talk to your doctor. While adapting healthy behaviors can help prevent and alleviate hand pain, most conditions won’t go away on their own. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you have been experiencing to find out of you could benefit from medical treatment. Visiting a hand doctor
Wrist Position / Hand Protection 8. Hold wrists in a neutral position. The best resting position for the wrist is a neutral one. This means that the wrist is not bent up or down and hands are held with the palms facing upward. When your hands are at work, try to keep from resting your wrists on the counter or desk. 9. Wear protective gloves or splints. An over-the-counter splint can help if you struggle to hold your wrist in a neutral position. These can be useful while you work as well as during sleep. If you work with tools that vibrate, wearing gloves that absorb shock can reduce stress on your hands and wrists.
Improve your Posture 10. While you may think that posture only affects the back and neck, hands and wrists can also benefit from good posture. This is especially true when it comes to the way you sit while working at the computer. Prevent hand pain from computer use by keeping your forearms lowered or parallel to the ground. An ergonomic office chair with low or removable arm rests can assist this position. This is a helpful way to prevent stiff or awkward hand and wrist positions as you type.
Movement / Rearrange Your Workspace 11. Ultimately, the best posture is a varied posture. Holding your hands in the same position for too long will do more harm than good. Try to mix up the way you type, write, hold a book, etc. throughout the day to keep from causing extra stress to your hands. 12. Make it easier to shake up your routine and alternate your posture by rearranging your work area. Create an ergonomic office by repositioning your monitor, moving your keyboard, or even placing your water bottle on a different side of the desk. Simple changes like these can help keep you from staying in the same position for too long. Hands typing on a keyboard
Writing Utensils / Always Ice 13. If you write for long stretches of time, you may be looking for a way to prevent hand pain when writing. Reminding yourself to relax and hold your pen less tightly is important, but that can also be difficult when you are writing under pressure during a long exam. In that case, it is helpful to find pens that are comfortable to hold and use. Try out pens with different grips and thicknesses and see what feels best. 14. If your hands feel swollen and hot after exercise, using an ice pack may help. Make sure to wrap the ice in a towel so that you do not apply it directly to the skin.
Proper Form When Exercising 15. Learning proper form for exercise can help prevent serious strain and injury to the hands and wrists. You may discover that pain in the wrists and hand joints is the result of using the wrong equipment or using incorrect form when doing activities like weight training or yoga.
