Computer newbies forum: Computers & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Pat,

"Carpal tunnel syndrome" is the body's reaction to "repetitive motion". Reduce the amount of repeated motion, or ease the strain of the tendons and nerves that travel through the wrist's tunnel opening and it shouldn't be a problem, unless you happen to have diabetes, or have received damage to the wrist. Overuse through time, of these tendons can cause them to thicken and therefore cause pressure against the nerves inside the tunnel. Basic "ergonomics" classes have taught me to reduce the amount of angles that the wrist takes, take rest breaks away from the activity, plus the occasional need for anti-inflamatory medication. (Tequila and Jack Daniels are good examples of pain medication that is dual purpose in nature. LOL)

Typing and overzealous mouse movements can cause symptoms to occur, although, as you'll see in one of the articles below, computers users aren't any more susceptible to carpal tunnel than any other individual.

Here are some links for your reading pleasure:

Computers and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Do Computers Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Computers And Health

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Hope this helps.

Grif

I was having problems with my first finger going numb with standard mouse.
I spend a lot of time on the computer. Swithced to a LogiTech trackball also and have reduced the problem 95%.

I found this ergonomic treatment plan that worked pretty well at carpalrelax.com. It's basically a way of using classical piano techniques applied to an office environment. Kind of a cool idea.

Grif: Yes, I agree. I have been doing mild excercises which are supposed to help a little and not typing too much. Much of the computer use is reading information, so not many people are typing all the time. I'll read your links for any more hints.

cowboy: That is exactly what is needed. My old computer desk was too high, so I had a TV tray right next to my knee, and the arm motion was down, not up. Now, with the new desk, which I have had for about a year, I don't use the TV tray as it is higher that the keyboard shelf. I'll have to dig around and see what I can find to put down lower for the mouse. The keyboard, though, will still be at the same level. The "gol-darn" think hurts. Whatever we do in life catches up with us one way or the other.

Thanks guys.

Pat

My problem is the opposite.....I've just got a new desk which has a keyboard that's "too" low. I need a chair that will allow me to get my hands and arm down lower. Luckily, I don't have any real problems with carpal tunnel. Still, I want to keep it that way.


I found quite a few, good, adjustable chairs, but they're just too expensive so far. I'll find something soon.

Grif

.

Ha ha. I see I had a typo in there.

Yes. That type of wrist strap would be ideal. I don't want those huge braces sold for that condition. I have seen them in the drugstore and they are only for when the arm is at rest. That would only be at night and, as I get up a few times during the night, and DO wash my hands, that large brace would be useless. I don't think it would help anyway.

susan: I often have my feet up on the legs of the chair.

Grif: The booze would help more than anything.

Thanks.

Pat

Well, how about that. Now, if it could just type?

I decided not to take my husbands' word for it when he said that the chair was as high as it would go. I jumped it up a good few inches, which makes a huge difference. Now I have a TV tray next to my arm, at knee level, and after surfing this afternoon, my arm and hand feel much better tonight.

Looking at it right now, maybe I should push the keyboard shelf in, and put the keyboard and the mouse , on the TV tray, which would be about 2-1/2" lower; quite a difference. I may do that sometimes when I feel I need it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I AM going to get one of those wrist savers. I need it anyway for cutting frozen bread and tough meat. (my cooking:))

Pat

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not the only health issue you need to worry about if doing high volume computer use. Pinched neck nerves also can occur from computer use, mouse use, keyboard use. How you sit,how you hold your head, how you favor your mouse arm can all lead to alignment problems. In my case, they were probably there in the first place and computer use pushed things over the edge. My pain issues, which were excruciating, ran from my neck to the tip of my right finger and thumb.

A decent adjustable chair and arm support helped me. If you wear corrective lenses, make sure you are looking through the right part of the lense rather than tilting your neck at a strange angle. A bag of ice on the neck periodically also is a good thing. In my case, a chiropractor was the answer, rather than surgery.

For your consideration: check your ergonomics at the keyboard: sit so your elbow is slightly below the wrist level when using the 'board or trackball. Consider a large trackball instead of a mouse, also. Vitamin B6, about 150mg. daily for 3 months has been helpful for many people---but check with your doctor first before using it. Also take a break away from your computer every 20 minutes to help ease your eyes as well as change your posture. Good luck to you.

I was diagnosed with a repetitive injury about 10 years ago. The one item that has kept me working is my keyboard. I tried several of the ergonomic models available at that time but most of them had me looking at relearning to type.

The Comfort Keyboard is a normal QWERTY keyboard but is broken up into three pieces that can be position in any 360 degree direction. Plus you can rearrange the pieces to suit you. In other words, left handers could move the 10-key to the left side of the keyboard. I have mine setup with the 10-key portion in the middle and the two keyboard parts at a 90 degree angle. Thus I type sideways. It took only 30 minutes to readjust and regain my typing speed. It is a very comfortable way to work. My forearms get to rest on the arms of my chair thus providing a lot of support. Of course you must be a touch typist otherwise you will have to bend your neck to see the keys!

Disclaimer: I don't work for Comfort Keyboard but have used their product for 10 years now and can't imagine typing all day without it

Hi!
I retired from 30 years of personnel work with the Feds never having developed CT syndrome but have it now...could it be those 12 hour sessions on the keyboard?
I asked my doctor (who diagnosed the problem) and he
said to take B1 and B6 supplements. My left hand was very numb but was fine after a few days and remains so!
You should CHECK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN about your condiiton and taking B1 and B6 supplements-- just take a small dose..it doesn't take much!
Van

Patricia,

Had to put my $.02 in.

We have a computer desk (well, it looks like a rolltop desk, but is designed for a PC). It has two slide out trays that look like the original typewriter/notepad trays that were standard on rolltop desks. With the tray pulled all the way out, my arm is basically straight from the elbow to the hand, which is the ergonomically proper way to type or mouse.

As for the keyboard, we have an inexpensive 3M gel rest that raises the wrists to the level of the back of the keyboard and above the front of it. As a result, the forearms are essentially straight for typing too.

No one here has had any problems yet (banging head on wood; more effective than mere knocking).

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when tendons or ligaments in the wrist become enlarged, often from inflammation, after being aggravated. The narrowed tunnel of bones and ligaments in the wrist pinches the nerves that reach the fingers and the muscles at the base of the thumb. The first symptoms usually appear at night. Symptoms range from a burning, tingling numbness in the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers, to difficulty gripping or making a fist, to dropping things.

Some cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are due to work-related cumulative trauma of the wrist. Diseases or conditions

that predispose to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome include pregnancy, diabetes, and obesity. If your are spending long hours in computer or you are typing for long hours, the probability of carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, shoulder pain is more. By doing some simple exercises we can avert carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain. These are the few links which talk about carpal tunnel and ergonomic exercises to prevent that.

http://www.axsellit.com/carpaltunnel/carpaltunnel.html

http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp04004.htm

http://www.uaw.org/hs/03/01/hs01.cfm