What Is the Cure for Repetitive Stress Injury

I’m so glad they call it “repetitive stress injury.”  Way too often a disorder is called some other name that makes it sound permanent. An “injury,” on the other hand (oops!  Was that a pun?) sounds like something that can heal.  And it can!  Cuts heal.  Broken bones heal. So can syndromes, symptoms, disorders and… Continue reading What Is the Cure for Repetitive Stress Injury

Hand Pain: Does It Feel Like Your Hand Bones Are Out Of Place

The bones in your hand can become out of place.  This can cause discomfort.  But, here’s the thing: Bones don’t move on their own.  Muscles move bones.  What does this mean? You have muscles in your hand and you have muscles and tendons (the tough end of the muscles) in your lower arm that attach… Continue reading Hand Pain: Does It Feel Like Your Hand Bones Are Out Of Place

Natural Hand Position Can Relieve Repetitive Stress Injury Caused by Mousing

Discomfort from repetitive movements is caused by “something.”  When you get rid of the “something” (the cause) your hand pain can also go away. Here’s how it works: Muscles prefer to move in certain ways.  If you move them in positions that they don’t like–especially frequently or for long periods–they get unhappy.  They complain.  That’s… Continue reading Natural Hand Position Can Relieve Repetitive Stress Injury Caused by Mousing

How To Make Your Laptop Computer More Ergonomic

Your laptop can be causing your carpal tunnel pain! Laptops are hard to use because, well, they just are!  If you watch someone using a laptop, they are probably curled up or scrunched over.  The monitor is too close to the keyboard. One day there will be a design where the monitor will lift off… Continue reading How To Make Your Laptop Computer More Ergonomic

Hand & Wrist Pain? Here’s Another Cause For Carpal Tunnel Pain

Typing or keyboarding in a “bad” position can cause carpal tunnel pain! Here’s an example: I watched a woman working on her computer.  Her chair was so far away from the keyboard that her arm was stretched almost totally straight.  She did not pull her chair closer to the keyboard. Why will this end up… Continue reading Hand & Wrist Pain? Here’s Another Cause For Carpal Tunnel Pain

Carpal Tunnel Pain–Should You Massage It Or Stretch?

Stretching is a good thing. Babies stretch.  Dogs and cats stretch.  You used to stretch, too. If you watch a baby or a cat or dog, you will notice that when they stretch they always move in a way that opens the front of their body.  Naturally and instinctively they stretch the muscles that need… Continue reading Carpal Tunnel Pain–Should You Massage It Or Stretch?

Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief and Stretching

Does stretching help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? The answer seems to be, “It depends.”  Stretching in general is good, especially stretching the muscles that we hold in short positions for most of our day. Keeping the muscles in the front of your body stretched can help prevent carpal tunnel symptoms in the first place.  It can… Continue reading Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief and Stretching

How Can You Stop Your Carpal Tunnel Pain?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms may go away when you rest your muscles, do different activities, use proper (“good”) body mechanics and posture, and exercise (move) and strengthen the muscles in your arm. But if you don’t keep doing all of those things, your symptoms can come back.  (Symptoms are things like pain, tingling, numbness, knots… Continue reading How Can You Stop Your Carpal Tunnel Pain?

Carpal Tunnel Symptoms–What Causes Pain, Numbness or Tingling in Your Hand

What causes the pain of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? There is a nerve that passes through your wrist.  It’s called the median nerve.  Nerves hate it when anything presses on them.  They hate it! There is a narrow passage in your wrist (the “carpal tunnel”) and the median nerve passes through this tunnel.  If space becomes… Continue reading Carpal Tunnel Symptoms–What Causes Pain, Numbness or Tingling in Your Hand

Why Do You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Who gets Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and why?  Many people think it is due to repetitive work–doing the same movement over and over.  Sometimes that is true but more often it is due to doing the repetitive work incorrectly or in an incorrect posture. Sometimes when we learn a new job or hobby we learn to… Continue reading Why Do You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?