How To Prevent Wrist Injuries in The Office
Many people are not particularly active but can experience the same symptoms due to overuse injuries at the office. To stay healthy and avoid wrist injuries in the workplace, follow these essential tips:
- Keep your wrists straight: If your wrists curve forward while typing, it puts strain on the tendons and ligaments. Try to keep your wrists straight ahead when typing. Be careful with continuous bending or extending your arms to type.
- Be sure your wrists are supported: Use adjustable wrist rests to keep your wrist straight while typing. Wrist support should be comfortable and soft. If your support is hard and constantly pressing on your wrists, it may do more damage than good.
- Take frequent breaks: Get up from your desk every 10-15 minutes. Stretch your hands and wrists and walk around for a few minutes. This will give your wrist muscles a break. It will also help you stay clear and stretch other body parts.
- Stretch your hands and wrists regularly: Stretch your hands and wrists for a few minutes at your desk after using your computer for half an hour to one hour. You can stretch your wrists by bending them forward, backward, and side to side. Sometimes you will hear popping sounds, which means you probably had some tension building up.
- Rotate your typing position: If you work in the same computer chair every day, you might want to take breaks from that chair and sit somewhere else every half hour. This is particularly useful if you work in shared spaces or co-working offices that give you the liberty of rotating your position constantly.
- Use a timer: If your job requires you to stay in the same place, use a timer to remind yourself to get up, move around, and stretch your arms and wrists.
- Use warm and cold compresses: Even if you don’t feel any pain, alternating between hot and cold compresses when you’re back home after a long day at work can help you prevent wrist injuries.