Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; the one major occupational hazard while working in an office, outside of maybe sliding off your wheeled desk chair. Over eight million people suffer from Carpal Tunnel, and chances are so do many of your employees. Symptoms include wrist pain that can radiate from fingertips to elbows, numbness, stiffness, and an all-around ache in the aforementioned region.
Many chalk the ailment up to the poor positioning of hands and wrists while working at a computer. However, many other wrist-bearing activities can flare up and perhaps cause Carpal Tunnel. And it’s more than just the occasional cramp in the lower arm region; some require surgery on their wrists and hands if it gets too severe. As an employer, you can’t guarantee that your team will always promote proper wrist posture, nor can you cure Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. You can help it, however. Here’s how:
Wrist Pads
Those are the gelled or foamed rests that lean against computer keyboards and mouse pads. Provide these for your team so their desk life is more manageable. Chances are, they have no idea how to properly rest their wrists while typing, and even if they do, it’s hard to remain cognizant of that positioning every time they work. These pads will help and keep their wrists in place while they work.
Wrist Braces
Some cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or worse than others. You may have an employee who suffers, but is in denial. Either that or they fear the costs associated with fixing it are beyond the scope of their budget. Have some new wrist braces handy in your office cabinet for those employees whose pain levels are hindering their work and everyday life. Offer them fee of charge. It helps. Have some Ibuprofen handy too for your employees. The pain can get severe.
Carpal Tunnel Exercises
Here is a simple workout to share with employees for prevention and treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
- With your palms up, stretch your arms out in front of you.
- Have one hand bend straight down, with fingers pointing to the floor.
- Bend the already bent hand further with your other hand and hold it for about 20 seconds. Do this gently.
- Alternate hands and do it again. Do this exercise about three times a hand.