It has happened to all of us who work or use the computer regularly: after a more or less long session at keyboard, wrist pain upset appears. And writing for hours or regularly on a daily basis is an activity that can cause wrist injuries of different types and degrees of severity.
These are injuries that are commonly known as "repetitive stress injuries". Its most characteristic signs are pain, numbness and a tingling sensation, both in the wrists and hands. This presents a number of difficulties when writing and performing other daily tasks.
In this article we are going to review some of the most common wrist injuries that people who work daily with a keyboard, and some good tips to prevent them. It is not a minor matter: consider your hands as a valuable work tool and as a fundamental part of your anatomy to carry out all the actions of your daily life.
Why do wrists hurt when writing?
Although there are many reasons for the appearance of wrist discomfort, when pain appears after prolonged use of the keyboard, it is most likely due to the existence of an injury or condition that gets worse with our routines.
When the pain does not go away after stopping activity, we may be facing a problem that goes beyond simple tiredness or fatigue. If this happens, it is necessary inquire about particular causes of wrist pain. Then we will know what the specific pain treatment is in each case. These are the most common causes of wrist pain when using a keyboard:
- Muscle overload.
- Wrist tendonitis.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Cubital tunnel syndrome.
- Arthritis.
Obviously, the remedy for each of these cases is different. Whether it is a simple overload or even annoying tendonitis, rest is usually the best medicine. That is, forget about the keyboard for a few days.
In other cases, it is necessary to go to the doctor, who can recommend treatments ranging from immobilization to surgical intervention. But before we get to that, there are many things we can do, both to prevent and relieve pain.
Tips to avoid wrist pain when typing
Here are some ideas that we can put into practice when, after a keyboard work session, we begin to notice that irritating wrist pain:
Acquire a proper posture for writing
Pure logic: you have to adopt an appropriate posture when typing. Sometimes you don't need to spend money on ergonomic chairs and keyboards. In general, just follow some simple guidelines:
- We must try that the computer keyboard and our forearms are parallel to the floor, so that our elbows can hang freely at our sides. Sometimes the height of the chair or table will have to be modified.
- Fundamental: you have to keep wrists in a neutral position while we write, without resting them on the keyboard.
- It is also important type softly, without sudden impacts, which prevents finger fatigue.
- It is also convenient to use keyboard shortcuts, which helps us minimize repetitive movements.
- And, above all, we must take breaks at work to give your hands and wrists a rest.
Wear a wristband
Using a wristband or even a splint can be a good solution when changing position does not help us avoid wrist pain. It is also highly recommended to prevent the appearance of discomfort of this type. The wrist brace serves to immobilize or at least partially limit the movement of the wrist. Of course, you have to leave your fingers free.
Do prevention exercises
Exercising your hands and wrists properly is a great way to prevent the appearance of aches and pains. The best thing is that anyone can do them at home or at work without having to spend too much time. These are some examples:
- Make a fist and then fully stretch your fingers, opening and closing them repeatedly.
- Rotate your wrist 360 degrees to both sides.
- Bend your fingers and wrists gently and steadily against a wall, fully extending the palm of your hand and without hurting yourself.
- Squeeze a rubber ball as hard as possible. Opening and closing the fist.
These exercises can be done before starting a keyboard work session or, on the contrary, after the end of the day. It is also very healthy to do them any day, even if we don't have much use for the computer.
Logically, if despite everything stated in this article, the pain persists, the best thing to do is to go to the doctor in search of the best solution.
Ergonomic keyboard: is it worth it?
A few years ago, ergonomic keyboards began to become fashionable, presented to the world as the great solution to avoid wrist pain and other problems. There is a great variety within this type of devices, with really striking models. Basically, its two main pillars are these:
- El curved keyboard.
- La wrist rest pad.
A curved key structure favors the placement of hands, wrists and fingers in a much more natural position, which means a notable reduction in muscle tension. Meanwhile, the padded wrist rest provides comfortable support for placing your forearms right above the keyboard. Both elements combined achieve the objective of facilitating work and preventing the onset of pain.
Is it worth purchasing one of these keyboards? If we look only at their health benefits, the answer is clear: Yes. However, these are very expensive devices, so it seems somewhat illogical to spend money on them if our keyboard activity does not reach a certain volume. time and effort, or if we can avoid pain and discomfort with the methods explained above.