Preventing carpal tunnel syndrome

Several companies have employees that experience carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful or numbing feeling in the wrists and fingers caused from doing repetitive tasks. Employees that spend hours typing or using vibrating equipment are at an increased risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. Companies can do simple things to help prevent or reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tip # 1 - Have Employee Health Checks
Hire a medical team to come in and evaluate the health of your employees. Carpal tunnel syndrome can stay under control if employees maintain a proper weight level, exercise, and control other health conditions. Employees that smoke are at an increased risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Employees that are pregnant or have recently given birth are at an increased risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. This is because their wrists tend to swell in the last few months of pregnancy and this places extra pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve is responsible for providing feeling to the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Most pregnant women will feel numbness in their pinkie and ring finger when they are in the final months of pregnancy.

Employees that have diabetes or arthritis are also at an increased risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. So not only will the health checks evaluate the health of your employees, but it can help some employees learn how to control other habits or health conditions.

Tip # 2 - Have Hand Warm-Ups
Before your employees start their workday, have each of them spend 5 minutes warming up their hands and wrists. Each employee needs to hold their hands straight out in front of them, then hold their fingers acutely. This should look like you are getting ready to do a push-up. Hold this for about 5 seconds. Now, straighten the wrists and relax the fingers. The next exercise involves making a fist with both hands, hold this for 5 seconds. Now bend the wrists down and hold for another 5 seconds. Straighten the wrists and relax the fingers. Once you have done both exercises, shake loose of your arms and wrists. Repeat the exercises 10 times. If each employee can do this everyday before starting work, they will significantly reduce their chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome at work.

Tip # 3 - Re-arrange Work Stations
A simple re-arrangement of a desk can easily reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Take a look at how the desks are set up. Moving the keyboard, monitor, mouse, and other tools will easily reduce carpal tunnel syndrome.

Provide employees with ergonomic mouse pads and wrist pads. These pads allow employees to maintain proper wrist posture while they are typing. The pads help to reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tip # 4 - Provide Employees with Gloves
Carpal tunnel gloves can be purchased for about $5.00. They are various types of carpal tunnel gloves, some work for typing, others work for operating machinery. Each of them will provide additional support to the wrists and fingers, reducing the pressure that is placed on the median nerve.

For employees that have severe carpal tunnel syndrome, you may want to purchase wrist splints. These can be worn while working, although they work best when the employees wear them to sleep. They will position the wrist to help remove the pressure on the median nerve.

Tip # 5 - Offer Breaks
Give your employees plenty of time to take breaks. Make sure each employee is taking a 15 minute break once for every 4 hours they work. During those 4 hours, they need to stretch their wrists and hands at least 2 times. This will help to reduce the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.