Which of the following recommendations will help prevent hand and wrist problems?

9 Things You Can Do to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If your job or favorite hobby puts strain on your hands and wrists, you might wonder if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Maybe you’ve got some symptoms, like tingling or numbness in your fingers, and you want to make sure it doesn’t get worse. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself and prevent your symptoms from getting worse.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on your median nerve. This nerve gives you feeling in your thumb and all your fingers except your pinky. When the median nerve goes through your wrist, it passes through a narrow path -- the carpal tunnel -- that’s made of bone and ligament. If you get any swelling in your wrist, this tunnel gets squeezed and pinches your median nerve, which causes your symptoms.

There’s no one, surefire way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. But if you reduce stress and strain on your hands and wrists as much as you can, you may keep it from getting worse.

1. Try a Softer Touch

Often in our daily routines, we get so used to doing things a certain way that we don’t even think about it. Many times, you may use more force than you need to get the job done. For instance, you might grip your tools too tightly when a firm hold is plenty. Or you may pound your computer keyboard when gentle keystrokes will do.

As you go through your day, keep an eye on how tense your hands are and how much pressure you put on them. If you can back off even a little, your hands and wrists will thank you.

2. Give Yourself a Break

Step away from your work to bend or stretch your hands. A 10- to 15-minute break every hour is ideal. This is especially important if you use tools that vibrate or make you apply a lot of force.

3. Stretch Often

When you take those breaks (or any time throughout the day), try this simple stretch:

Make a fist
Slide your fingers up until they point straight out
Repeat 5-10 times

Or this one:

Make a fist
Release your fingers and fan them out. Stretch them as far as you can.
Repeat 5-10 times

4. Stay Neutral

If you can, avoid bending your wrist all the way up or down. When you keep your wrist in a straight, neutral position, it takes the pressure off your median nerve.

Wearing a wrist brace when you sleep can help you do this. It might also help to wear it during activities that trigger your symptoms.

5. Switch It Up

Try to avoid doing the same hand and wrist motions over and over again. For example, if you have a task that you always do with your right hand, do it with your left instead. Or, mix up your tasks as much as you can to give your muscles a break.

6. Watch Your Posture

While it’s natural to focus on your wrist and hands, how you hold the rest of your body can also make a difference. Poor posture may cause you to roll your shoulders forward. This sets off a chain reaction that shortens your neck and shoulder muscles, crunches the nerves in your neck, and makes wrist problems worse.

7. Stay Warm

It sounds simple, but it makes a difference. When you’re cold, pain and stiffness get worse. Even gloves with no fingers can be helpful because they keep your hands and wrists warm and loose.

8. Talk to Your Supervisor

If your work triggers your symptoms, ask you manager about changing up your work space. You may be able to alter anything from your workstation setup to tool handles to how tasks get done to see if it helps your symptoms. You might also be able to trade off with co-workers so you can avoid the same task over and over.

If you work at a computer, try these things:

Adjust your keyboard position so you don’t have to bend your wrists when you type.
Keep your elbows close to your side as you type.

9. See an Occupational Therapist

This medical professional may be able to:

Show you exercises to help stretch and strengthen your hand and wrist muscles
Show you how to change your routine motions in a way that eases stress on your hands and wrists

You can reduce your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome by preventing repetitive strain and learning to keep your wrists in a neutral position. However, you may be more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome due to underlying health conditions, anatomic factors, or a wrist injury.

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

Health Factors

Being overweight is a major risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome. If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or above, you are at greater risk.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.

Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.

It isn't known exactly why being overweight increases the risk. You will also reduce many other health risks if you can maintain body weight below a BMI of 30.

Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and hypothyroidism increase your risks of carpal tunnel syndrome. These conditions and others that result in inflammation or water retention narrow the space in the carpal tunnel.

High blood sugar in diabetes damages the nerves. Getting treatment for these conditions can reduce your risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Age is also a risk factor. Taking care of and protecting your wrists is important as you get older, especially if you use your hands at work for tasks like typing.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs most often in people over age 40. It is rarely seen in children.

Wrist Flexion and Repetitive Strain

Being aware of your wrist position can reduce your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Neutral wrist position is the most protective. This is the position when your hand is in line with your wrist.

A flexed position is palm down, with the palm and fingers bent towards the inner wrist. An extended position is with the palm up.

Sleeping

Sleeping on your hands, especially if they are in a flexed position, increases your risk. Pay attention to your hand position when you go to bed.

If you are already experiencing numbness or tingling in your hands at night or when you awaken, buy a wrist brace to wear while sleeping. This will keep your hand in a neutral position and help prevent progression of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Posture, Arm, and Hand Positioning

Keep your shoulders squared rather than rolled forward when sitting, standing, or walking. A hunched posture contributes to strain down your entire arm and to your wrists and hands.

Any task you are doing, including checking your cell phone, should be done with your arms comfortably away from your body—not too close, not too far.

If you find yourself gripping an object such as a pen or your cell phone tightly, learn to relax your grip or modify how you hold the object. Use a larger soft-grip pen and a cell phone stand or holder.

Any tools should be the correct size for your hands as tools that are too large can result in strain.

Avoiding Repetitive Strain in Tasks

At any task or job, pay attention to how you are using your hands, especially when you are performing the same action repetitively. Avoid tasks that require bending or twisting motions with your hand for extended periods of time.

If you must perform these movements, gradually increase your time spent doing them and take frequent breaks. If possible, switch hands during your tasks.

The on-the-job risk for carpal tunnel syndrome is seen mostly in assembly line occupations in manufacturing, cleaning, and food processing.

In addition to redesigning these tasks to reduce strain, it would be helpful if your employer rotated jobs requiring these actions so you don't spend long hours doing the same movement.

Computer Workstation Positioning and Habits

There are some computer and typing habits that may increase the stress on your wrists. Changing these practices can reduce the day-to-day strain:

Posture and positioning: Your keyboard and chair should be at a height where your forearms are level when using the keyboard and make sure your wrists are not flexing when you type. Keep your monitor at eye level and your back supported. Your feet should be squarely on the floor (don’t sit with crossed legs for any length of time). Position your screen at arm’s length away from you. Assess your workstation and make all the changes you can.
Keep wrists neutral: When typing, your wrists should not be bent outward toward your pinky nor inward toward your thumb. Keep your wrists straight.
Don’t rest your wrists: When typing, your hands should float above the keyboard, allowing your fingers to find the right keys by moving your whole arm. If your wrists rest in one place, you have to contort your hands to strike all the keys. Wrist rests can be confusing because you really should not rest your wrists while you type. Your wrists should serve as a reminder not to rest your hands on the edge of a desk or table; keep your wrists floating in the air when you type.

Studies have not found a solid link between a computer keyboard or mouse use and carpal tunnel syndrome, but you can still take steps to reduce strain.

Don’t contort: There are certain combinations of keystrokes that contort your hands and wrists. For example, try pressing control-Y with your left hand only. Anytime you need to do a key combination that involves holding down one key and pressing another, use both hands. This will seem strange at first but it will keep you from twisting into strange positions. This also applies when using the shift key.
Change hand positions often: Turning your hands over (knuckles on the table) when pausing at the keyboard is a great way to give your wrists a break from being in the same position all day long. Get in the habit of turning your wrists over when thinking of the next sentence to write, talking on the phone, or reading on the computer.

Exercises and Stretches

Stretching and conditioning for tasks that require the use of your hands and wrists are important for preventing injury and repetitive strain.

If you already have some symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, discuss exercises with your healthcare provider as they may or may not be recommended.

Gliding exercises are hand motions aimed to keep the nerves and tendons sliding smoothly through the carpal tunnel, such as the wrist stretch below.

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Wrist Stretch Sequence

Stretch the tendons and muscles in your wrists daily. Do so in the morning, at lunchtime, and at the end of the day.

While standing, hold your arms straight out in front of you with your fingers extended, palms facing the ground.
Raise both hands in the “stop” position (palms facing the wall in front of you) while keeping your arms straight. Hold this position for five seconds.
Return your hands to the starting position and make a fist. Hold for five seconds.
Rotate your fist down so the back of your hand is facing the wall in front of you and you can see your knuckles. Hold for five seconds.
Finally, return to the starting position and relax your hands and fingers. Hold for five seconds.
Repeat the series 10 times.

Add about two minutes of stretching for the rest of your body to your stretching routine. Loosen up your shoulders and straighten your back. Move your head from side to side. Stretch your back. You’ll feel more energized and have much less tension and pain.

Grip Strengthening: Squeeze a soft rubber ball. Hold the squeeze for five seconds. Repeat 15 times.

Yoga: Yoga can help strengthen and condition your upper body and improve your posture and grip strength. It has been recommended for people with symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

On-the-Job Conditioning: If your job requires tasks that require twisting and bending your hands, especially if you must use forceful motions or carry a load, it is best to gradually increase the time you spend in these activities. Ask your employer for conditioning exercises.

Prevent Worsening

If you have hand or finger tingling, numbness, or pain, take steps to prevent the condition from worsening.

If you've had symptoms suggestive of carpal tunnel syndrome for a few weeks, it's time to see your healthcare provider.

If symptoms remain untreated and progress, you are at risk of muscle and nerve damage which can be irreversible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I prevent carpal tunnel syndrome while using a computer mouse?
Some simple steps you can take include:
- Place the mouse in an optimal position—on a platform just above the number panel.
- If you use an external mouse and keyboard with a laptop, elevate the laptop so the screen is at eye level.
- Choose a mouse shape that is comfortable in your hand and don't grip it too tightly.
- Keep your wrist in a neutral position and move the mouse by moving your elbow rather than flicking your wrist from side to side.
- Consider a mouse that can be used with both the left and right hands so you can switch hands periodically.
What can I do to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from getting worse?
This will depend on the cause, but some general tips for stopping progression of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Taking regular breaks from activities that require repetitive use of your hands, such as typing, piano playing, and playing video games.
- Wearing a splint to keep your wrist straight, especially at night.
- Trying a different type of keyboard (such as a split, V-shaped one) or computer mouse. A mouse that is flat and symmetrical in shape (rather than curved) usually is best, as is a larger mouse that encourages moving the entire arm rather than just the wrist.
How can I prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if I'm pregnant?
It's not unusual for people who are pregnant to experience symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially during the third trimester. These symptoms usually are temporary and are caused by edema (swelling) that's normal during the latter stages of pregnancy. To manage them, try wearing a splint, taking regular breaks while doing tasks that are repetitive and contribute to the discomfort, and doing exercises to help stretch and strengthen your forearms, wrists, and hands.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Mansoor S, Siddiqui M, Mateen F, et al. Prevalence of Obesity in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Cureus. 2017;9(7):e1519. doi:10.7759/cureus.1519
Cleveland Clinic. Who is at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome?
Cleveland Clinic. 5 Ways You Can Ease Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Pain Without Surgery. 2016.
Rempel DM, Keir PJ, Bach JM. Effect of wrist posture on carpal tunnel pressure while typing. J Orthop Res. 2008;26(9):1269-73. doi:10.1002/jor.20599
Wipperman J, Goerl K. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(12):993-999.
American University. Tips for laptop and mouse use.
Nemours Childrens Health System. Carpal tunnel syndrome. Jan 2015.
Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. Can you avoid carpal tunnel syndrome? June 17, 2020.
Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan. Wrist care: Preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. Nov 16, 2020.
Kaiser Permanente. Pregnancy: Carpal tunnel syndrome. Oct 8, 2020.

Additional Reading

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Arthritis Research UK. http://www.csp.org.uk/sites/files/csp/secure/2_carpal_tunnel.pdf.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet.
Carlson H, Colbert A, Frydl J, Arnall E, Elliot M, Carlson N. Current Options for Nonsurgical Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. International Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. 2010;5(1):129-142. doi:10.2217/IJR.09.63.
Chammas M, Boretto J, Burmann LM, Ramos RM, dos Santos Neto FC, Silva JB. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Part I (Anatomy, Physiology, Etiology and Diagnosis). Revista Brasileira de Ortopedia. 2014;49(5):429-436. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2014.08.001.
Kozak A, Schedlbauer G, Wirth T, Euler U, Westermann C, Nienhaus A. Association Between Work-Related Biomechanical Risk Factors and the Occurrence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and a Meta-Analysis of Current Research. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2015;16:231. doi:10.1186/s12891-015-0685-0.

By Mark Stibich, PhD
Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements.

Thanks for your feedback!

Which of the following considerations will help prevent repetitive strain injury?

There are things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting RSI, such as: maintaining good posture at work. taking regular breaks from long or repetitive tasks – it's better to take smaller, more frequent breaks than one long lunch break. trying breathing exercises if you're stressed.

Which of the following recommendations will help prevent shoulder problems?

Exercises. Increasing strength and flexibility is the best way to keep your shoulders healthy and prevent injuries.

Which of the following actions will help reduce leg swelling?

Lifestyle and home remedies.

Movement. Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart. ... .

Elevation. ... .

Massage. ... .

Compression. ... .

Protection. ... .

Reduce salt intake..

Why should an esthetician raise their feet on a stool when they are taking a break?

Raise feet onto a stool when taking a break. It is best if the stool is as high as the chair being used so that the licensee's legs go out straight. A stool or moveable seat should be used so that the licensee can sit and rest their feet while working on a client.