Have you been experiencing repetitive strain on the wrists?
If you’re among the millions of people who work at a computer, or if you participate in a hobby or sport that is very taxing on the hands, then this is no surprise.
Repetitive strain on the wrists can present as pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in your wrists and hands.
These symptoms can be hardly noticeable at first, but gradually worsen to a point that prevents you from performing your usual activities. So it’s always a good idea to develop good habits that can lower your risk–or mitigate strain if it has already started.
In this article, we’ll give you 5 easy ways to keep your wrists pain-free!
What causes repetitive strain on the wrists?
The muscles in our hands, wrists, and forearms are put to use throughout nearly all our day to day tasks. However, many of the activities that we take part in, either for work or leisure, can be especially taxing especially if done for hours at a time.
These can include:
- Computer use. Prolonged use of keyboards and mice can strain the wrists and fingers. Playing video games, either with a controller or keyboard and mice, can also strain the wrists when done for extensive periods.
- Smartphone usage. Constant texting, scrolling, or gaming on mobile devices can lead to overuse injuries.
- Manual labor. Jobs involving repetitive hand movements, such as cooking, carpentry, plumbing, or assembly line work, can cause strain.
- Playing musical instruments. Pianists, guitarists, violinists, and drummers often experience wrist fatigue due to repetitive motions.
- Sports and fitness. Sports like Olympic weightlifting, cycling, basketball, or tennis require repetitive wrist and hand movements. Certain exercises such as pressing and pulling movements can also be taxing on the wrists if performed incorrectly.
- Crafts. Knitting, painting, woodworking, and even gaming can contribute to repetitive strain.
The repetitive movements involved in these and other activities can lead to strain. The excessive fatigue can cause tightness and inflammation in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your hands and forearms. The inflammation can put pressure on nearby nerves, leading to pain, numbness, weakness, and a “pins and needles” sensation.
5 Simple Ways to Avoid Repetitive Strain on the Wrists
Take breaks.
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to prevent repetitive strain on the wrist is to take regular breaks.
Continuous use of your hands and wrists without rest leads to muscle fatigue, reduced blood flow, and increased tension. Taking breaks allows your muscles and tendons time to recover, reducing the risk of inflammation and long-term damage.
Here are some ways you can implement breaks:
- Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to stretch and relax your hands.
- Try microbreaks: short, frequent pauses to shake out your hands and stretch your wrists.
Maintain a neutral wrist position.
The wrists are more prone to strain when they are in a bent position, rather than neutral. While it may take time to correct old habits, trying to keep your wrists more in line with your forearms can go a long way in reducing repetitive wrist strain.
- If you perform manual work, try to keep your wrist straight when gripping tools to prevent overuse injuries.
- When typing, keep your wrists level and avoid resting them on hard surfaces.
- When doing small repetitive tasks such as lifting objects, drawing, or chopping, try to use the entire arm and move at the shoulders and elbows instead of just the wrists.
- At the gym, try to keep your wrists relatively in line with your forearms when doing pressing motions (e.g., bench press). Accessories like push-up bars can allow you to do push-ups without being bent at the wrists.
Improve the ergonomics of your tools or workstation.
Sometimes, poor posture and wrist positioning can be a result of our workstation or desk setup.
- To help maintain a neutral wrist position, try to have your seat height so that your elbows are the same height as your desk or keyboard when you sit with shoulders relaxed.
- There are ergonomic keyboards and computer mice that are designed to minimise having to rotate or bend at the wrists; try them to see if they are comfortable.
- Be mindful of any discomfort you feel from hand tools that you use extensively (e.g., screwdrivers, drills, hammers, scissors, knives, knitting needles). If you do notice any symptoms after using them, try to find ergonomic versions and see if you have a better experience.
Reduce repetitive motions whenever possible.
It would also be worth it to try and minimise the amount of repetitive wrist movements when you can.
- Use keyboard shortcuts to reduce the amount of clicking you have to do.
- Use tools that take care of the repetitive movements for you (e.g., power screwdrivers, mandolins and food choppers).
- Alternate tasks whenever possible.
Do wrist stretches regularly.
Here are some easy stretches you can do to help relieve tension in your hands and forearms, and possibly reduce the risk of repetitive strain in your wrists.
- Wrist Extension Stretch: Extend your arm forward, palm facing up. Use your opposite hand to gently pull your fingers back. Hold for 15 seconds.
- Wrist Flexion Stretch: Extend your arm forward, palm facing down. Gently pull your fingers down with your other hand. Hold for 15 seconds.
- Finger & Forearm Stretch: Press your palms together in front of your chest (prayer position). Lower your hands while keeping them together to stretch your fingers and wrists. Hold for 20 seconds.
Repetitive strain on your wrists getting in the way of your work or hobbies?
If you found our prevention tips a little too late and you’re already experiencing significant symptoms of repetitive strain, don’t worry.
Our team of licensed physiotherapists are here to help rehab your wrists and hands back to good health, as well as train you in proper movement patterns to avoid re-aggravating the injury.
Get in touch through this form or call us at 02 8808 4000!
