It seems everyone has been busy working from home these days. At The Health First Group we want to keep everyone informed on how to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) while working from home in Mississauga.
CTS or Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition characterized as weakness, numbness, or weakness in your hand. It is also known as median nerve compression.
It occurs when pressure is applied to the median nerve. The median nerve extends till the length of your arm till your hand and it passes through a way in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The finger’s movement along with the thumb is controlled by the median, except pinky.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms
The following are the causes of a painful condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Trouble holding things
- Itching in the hand
- Numbness, itching, and burning in the hand
- Radiating pain and tingling towards the arm
- Weakness of the hand
Causes
CTS is caused by the exertion of pressure on the median nerve.Anything that causes irritation or squeezes the median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome. Rheumatoid arthritis-related swelling or inflammation is also a contributing factor along with wrist fracture. Continuous use of hand or placing hand at the same position for long term also causes CTS. Generally, CTS has no single cause, various contributing factors will lead to the development of this condition.
Prevalence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Canada
Have you ever had a numbness move up your arm from your hand and wrist while working, operating on the screen, or carrying your phone? Is it true that shaking the numbness or pain didn’t go away? There’s a possibility you have carpal tunnel syndrome if you’ve had these signs. It’s a typical Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, and it affects almost 15% of Canadians, as per Canadian Statistics. The signs of carpal tunnel syndrome typically appear slowly.
The estimated and specific rates of (CTS), rotator cuff syndrome/tear (RCS/RCT), epicondylitis, and on staff in Ontario in 1997 were calculated in a study conducted in Canada. The preventive index was used to assess which professions should be targeted for action. As we traveled closer to the upper extremity, the gender-specific rates decreased. Women to men reported incidence ratios have decreased, from 1.61 for CTS to 0.47 for RCS/RCT.
The greatest research on the incidence and effect of musculoskeletal diseases of the upper limb in the general population has been published by Walker-Bone. However, for carpal tunnel syndrome, its argument that the published incidence rates for individual conditions, as measured by the test protocol, are largely close to those available in the literature is neither reliable (CTS). CTS is the most common nerve entrapment condition, and it has been used to illustrate the general concept of repetitive strain injuries.
However, the recorded incidence of CTS was less than that of nearly all other musculoskeletal diseases of the upper limb studied 1.2 percent in men and as low as 0.9 percent in women and more research is required on this.
Preventing carpal tunnel syndrome
If you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome while working from home, then it can be successfully prevented in the following ways.
Maintain a properly aligned work area
Stand up straight at your desk and bring your elbows close to your sides. Change the height of your keyboard if feasible so that your forearms are parallel to the floor. Make sure that your display is placed in front of you and, if possible, keep it at eye level.
Take breaks when working
After regular intervals or after every 20-30 minutes, take a break to stretch and relax your hands and arms. Extend your hands by shaking them and sticking them out. Get up and walk around every hour or so.
Stay as healthy as possible
If your lifestyle is healthy, then there is less chance that you are to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Inflammation can play a role in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, but living a healthier lifestyle can help you to minimize the chances of inflammation. That’s why to live a healthy lifestyle, one should eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and refrain from smoking. Measures must be taken to keep medical conditions under control, such as diabetes because these medical conditions can raise the chances of carpal tunnel syndrome development
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is often advised by doctors to people who have carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. Dumbbell bench presses to strengthen the upper body or scalar circles to improve the patient’s balance and control are recommended physiotherapy for carpal tunnel syndrome. You can contact different Physiotherapy centers located in your nearby areas. If you think you’re suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and want to hear more about how physical therapy can help you, various physiotherapy centers are present in Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, and Bolton.
References
- https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/carpal-tunnel/carpal-tunnel-syndrome
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20355603
- https://bourassarehab.com/conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15554610/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/art.21461
- https://www.curepain.net/blog/working-from-home-heres-the-best-ways-to-avoid-carpal-tunnel-syndrome
- https://www.focusphysiotherapy.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-what-causes-it-treatments-and-how-to-prevent-it/
Our Locations:
200 Matheson Blvd W #104
Mississauga, ON, L5R 3L7
Phone: 905-507-2772
E-mail: admin@healthfirstheartland.com
415 The Westway, Unit 12B
Etobicoke, ON, M9R 1H5
Phone: 416-901-0262
E-mail: info@healthfirstrehab.ca
