Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common ailment that affects many typical employees at sedentary desk jobs. Working at a keyboard for long stretches of time can place significant strain on the hands and wrists, sometimes resulting in the onset of this troublesome condition. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve as it travels from the forearm into the hand: while there are many possible causes for this compression, most professionals agree that a high amount of overuse or repetitive activity can contribute to carpal tunnel symptoms such as pain, numbness, and weakness. Nevertheless, there’s hope for those whose jobs, interests, or lifestyles require repetitive motion of the hands and wrists: stretches and exercises can work to mitigate the damage and preserve optimal function.
Just a few minutes of the right exercise can be a major safeguard against carpal tunnel syndrome. Healthline hosts a helpful post outlining three such exercises, including basic stretches that can be performed at the desk. Interested readers can also find a wealth of information here at AOSMI’s site: our orthopedic specialists regularly update and revise the informative content we share with our patients and our community. Informed prevention is the best way to stay in good health: keep up with AOSMI updates via our blog, social media, and email to find the latest details.
Many professionals in the workforce today do not have jobs that seem immediately hazardous to an employee’s health. While there are workers who spend entire workdays on their feet or regularly enter dangerous situations to complete required workplace tasks, most modern staff members might not imagine that their working conditions could affect their health. It may come as a surprise, but a sedentary job at which an employee spends most of his or her time seated at a desk or computer keyboard can be a health risk all its own. While it won’t generally present an immediate hazard like a more active job, a desk job can place strain on a worker’s back, neck, shoulders, and wrists, presenting a range of complications that must be identified and managed for optimal health.
At AOSMI, we provide physical therapy not only for athletes, but also for workers facing issues related to a demanding office job. Our staff includes specialists in occupational therapy and overall wellness as well as highly qualified surgeons who can help patients resolve more intensive health issues. In addition to the direct help we offer through visits to our practice, we share informative health resources online, here on the blog and in our Orthopedics Library. Read more online or contact us today to find out the risks of an office job and the best ways to manage and treat any related conditions.
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute is committed to welcoming into our community the most highly qualified and successful surgeons in the field. We are proud to announce that Dr. Paul Joseph Chubb, D.O. will be joining AOSMI as a hand, wrist, and elbow specialist . Dr. Chubb specializes in treating problems from the shoulder to the hand in both adults and children, including newborns. Throughout his noteworthy career in medicine, he has had extensive experience in traumatic and reconstructive elbow surgery. Dr. Chubb continues to refine his expertise in this specialty, as it is among his major professional interests.
In addition to adult and pediatric hand, wrist, and elbow surgery, Dr. Chubb specializes in carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis of the hand and wrist, and congenital deformities, among other conditions. Patients seeking more information or looking to request an appointment with Dr. Chubb can now do so through the surgeon’s page on the Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute site. From efficient, attentive urgent care for emergencies to joint replacements, physical therapy, and other procedures that create sustainable good health, AOSMI is the foremost authority. Keep up-to-date with blog updates and articles to learn the latest news about new professionals, locations, and more.
In today’s digital age, most people type on a keyboard every day as they work and stay in touch with family and friends. A hand cramp makes typing challenging, but several strategies successfully ease the discomfort.
Assume the Correct Typing Position
Placing the keyboard at a level slightly below the user’s elbows keeps the typist’s wrists in a neutral position. An ergonomic wrist rest and relaxed shoulders, arms, wrists and mouse grip may also relieve a cramp.
Take a Break
Taking a break until the cramp subsides isn’t always possible. However, short breaks every hour can reduce cramps and give typists time to try relief strategies.
Apply Heat
A warm compress or warm water may relax the hand’s muscles and make stretching and massage easier.
Gently Stretch and Massage the Hand
Extending and stretching the fingers and gently massaging the cramped spot may help the discomfort go away.
Squeeze a Ball
Small stress or hand exerciser balls relax hand muscles and relieve cramps. These tools also strengthen the hand muscles and may prevent future cramps.
Wear a Splint
While it supports the hand and wrist, a splint also makes typing through a cramp easier.
Try Medication
Analgesic or muscle relaxant medication might provide temporary relief and make typing with a hand cramp easier.
See a Doctor
Certain health conditions, including arthritis and carpal tunnel, cause cramps while typing. A consultation with Advanced Orthopedics can identify the cramp’s source and effective treatments that ultimately make typing easier.
AOSMI has incredibly exciting news! We have welcomed the widely respected occupational and certified hand therapist Mary Wesley to our team of dedicated orthopedic specialists!
After a lengthy period of professional collaboration, AOSMI and Mary have officially joined forces. We are so excited about this development that we wanted to take the opportunity to personally introduce this renowned professional to you.
After graduating from Elizabethtown College, Mary spent five years working towards her certification in Hand Therapy. Successful in her endeavors, she is now a licensed occupational therapist in addition to being a hand therapist (CHT). With all of her credentials under her belt, she spent the next 20 years working in a variety of occupational and hand therapy medical facilities in Central New Jersey. Additionally, Mary has a professional membership with the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Society of Hand Therapists. All of this should serve to ensure you that we have added an expert to our team. The expertise she brings to AOSMI’s team of New Jersey orthopedic surgeons will directly benefit you and your family.
Given her credentials, Mary concentrates her practice on orthopedic injuries of the hand, wrist and elbows. Such conditions include hand and wrist fractures, nerve damage, tendonitis, sprains and sports-related injuries. Her goal with every patient is to diagnosis the problem accurately and devise a plan of treatment that will work in the least possible time.
Check out our site to learn more.
Most of us take for granted how important our wrists and hands are. We give them very little thought as long as they are not causing pain or discomfort. We rarely consider the toll our lives take on these joints and muscles. It’s not until we suddenly find ourselves having trouble gripping a door handle or completing our day to day tasks at work that we start to realize how much we depend on these muscles.
For those experiencing numbness or tingling in their fingers, pain in the wrist or an inability to grasp a phone, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome might be the cause and the effects can be devastating. For many of us, our very livelihoods depend on our fine motor skills. Whether we work on computers, assemble parts or use tools, a sudden inability to utilize our wrists, fingers and hands properly can be catastrophic. Before you panic, call an orthopedic specialist to diagnose the problem.
Using advance imaging techniques, New Jersey orthopedic surgeons can easily diagnose Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and get you on your way to a pain free work day. AOSMI’s team of specialists is up to date on the latest surgical and non-surgical carpal tunnel treatment techniques. Our staff will go over the pros and cons of each option carefully with you and help you decide upon a course of action that makes sense to everyone.
Don’t let wrist pain derail your career. Call us today to learn how to solve the problem quickly.
With winter upon us, many people participate in activities such as snow skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. The very conditions that make these activities possible and enjoyable, reduced friction, also make falls and injuries very common. Winter sports injuries get a lot of attention at hospital emergency rooms and doctor’s offices, and include sprains, strains, dislocations and fractures (broken bones). READ MORE.
