If you’ve ever felt a strange tingling in your hands while scrolling through your phone, or woken up in the middle of the night needing to shake out your numb fingers, you’re definitely not alone. Welcome to the world of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) a condition that was once the bane of factory workers, but has now, firmly entered the chat for the digital generation.
So what exactly is going on beneath the surface, and why is our modern lifestyle making it so much more common? Let’s take a closer look…
What is Carpal Tunnel?
If we imagine our wrist with a tiny, narrow tunnel running through it, this is the carpal tunnel. Inside of this tunnel sits the median nerve, which controls sensation and movement in most of our fingers, and the tendons that help us to move our hands.
CTS happens when there is increased pressure in that tunnel, usually because of swelling. This in turn squeezes the median nerve, like a pinched garden hose, leading to that tell-tale numbness and pain.
Symptoms usually start out subtly with pins and needles, tingling or numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger. Many people also find their symptoms are worse at night because we tend to sleep with our wrists curled up.
You may also start to notice that you’re dropping things more often, or struggling with fine tasks like buttoning up a shirt or opening a jar and lids. Occasionally, you may even feel shocks that radiate from the wrist up the arm. All are the tell tale signs of carpal tunnel.
Why CTS Is On The Rise
Historically, CTS was linked to heavy manual labour such as working on assembly lines or using heavy machinery and vibrational power tools. While these jobs are still high-risk, the modern version of CTS is primarily driven by repetitive micro-movements.
Our hands weren’t exactly evolved to spend eight hours each day clicking a mouse, gripping a smartphone, or typing on a flat laptop keyboard. This constant, repetitive strain, combined with the awkward angles that we hold our devices at, means that our carpal tunnels are under more pressure than ever before.
The jobs that are most at-risk tend to be office and tech workers who are constantly typing and using a mouse. Hairdressers and barbers also perform repetitive snipping and blow-drying angles which doesn’t help. Chefs and bakers perform heavy chopping and kneading techniques, and musicians such as pianists and string players also face the strain.
Finally, drivers who spend long periods of time gripping a steering wheel, whether for a job or socially, also suffer from the same symptoms.
The Power Of Restricting Movement
When our wrist is inflamed, the best thing that we can do is give it a break, which is easier said than done when you have a job to do! This is where wrist straps and braces come in.
We can think of a wrist brace as bubble wrap for our nerves. By keeping our wrist in a neutral, straight position, the brace ensures that the carpal tunnel stays as wide as possible, giving the median nerve some much-needed breathing space.
Wearing a brace while we sleep prevents us from curling our wrists under our chin, which is a very common position that is a major cause of morning pain. During the day, a strap or brace acts as a physical reminder for us to stop those repetitive flicking motions that aggravate the tendons.
Small Changes For Big Relief
Beyond wearing a brace, a few lifestyle tweaks can make the world of difference, especially the 20-20-20 Rule for our hands: every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to stretch your fingers and wrists. Adjusting your chair height so your wrists aren’t kinked whilst typing can also save a lot of suffering in the long run.
Our hands do everything for us, from texting friends to drinking a cup of coffee. Giving them a little extra support throughout today ensures that they’ll keep working smoothly for many years to come!
