Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Posture and Ergonomics
Feb 15th, 2009 by Kathryn Merrow
If we all had perfect posture, we would have a hardly any pain!
Carpal tunnel symptoms can begin when your muscles are strained and out of balance. Sometimes it’s not so much the work we do, it’s that we develop poor and weak posture. This causes trigger points (crabby areas of muscle) that “fire” into your carpal tunnel area and cause pain and other symptoms.
We can get out of perfect posture in lots of way. Moms hold babies on one hip for long periods. Kids play video games with all hunched over. We sit at desks that don’t fit. We work at repetitive jobs without taking a stretch break.
If you work at a desk or computer, you can discover how to position yourself in ways that will help avoid pain at Pain Relief Ergonomics. Sometimes we just get into habits without even realizing what we are doing. We don’t figure it out until part of our body starts to complain (carpal tunnel symptoms.)
Having someone point out what to do to prevent pain syndromes–someone who can show us how to change our working posture–is a good thing.
When you are seated at your desk or computer, the following things will help your posture become straighter and stronger.
- Lift the crown of your head.
- Lift your chest.
- Suck your abdomen back to your spine.
If you are standing, you can do the same things, and also let your knees be “soft” (not locked back.)
I’m always reminding you about your posture, because the muscles in your neck and the front of your upper body are frequently causes of your carpal tunnel symptoms. Help your muscles be where they want to be and they will cause you less distress.
If you feel that these movements feel stressful to your body, that’s because you’re not used to them yet. Your body is used to collapsing forward. You used to be straight and strong, and you can get there again. Another place to get help on your posture is Simple Strengthening. I have lots of articles there for you.
When your posture is better, your carpal tunnel symptoms will be less and so will all of your other aches and pains.
That’s how your body works.
