While there are
a lot of rumors about carpal tunnel syndrome,
it is hard to find a definitive answer on what,
if any, actual link there is between the development
of carpal tunnel syndrome and the use of computers.
Does computer use increase one's chances of
developing carpal tunnel syndrome? If you do
a "search" on the internet, you can
find several stories that say no, and just
as many that say yes, sometimes even from the
same source! While there are still some conflicting
beliefs on how the use of computers affects
carpal tunnel syndrome, the problem seems to
be more prevalent than ever before. This article
will help to show the correlation between extensive
computer use and carpal tunnel syndrome.
There is a general belief that working for
extended periods of time using a computer will
lead to an increase in carpal tunnel syndrome,
and that jobs such as data entry lead to higher
risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Since carpal
tunnel syndrome is caused by constant repetitive
or static motion of the hands and wrists, logically
this would make sense. There are several studies
that initially suggested that the repetitive
motion and static flexion that is involved
when using a computer or playing video games
may cause carpal tunnel. Though this is not
conclusively proven in studies, what is proven
is that any task that involves excessive duration,
repetition and force does in fact cause carpal
tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by anything
that involves excessive unidirectional movement
patterns that require too much force, duration
and repetition, as the overused muscles begin
to compress the carpal tunnel and the median
nerve within. The tendons that pass through
the carpal tunnel (a small area between the
carpal bones and the transverse carpal ligament
in the wrist) can become swollen from doing
the same movement over and over, like typing
on a computer or playing video games or a musical
instrument for long periods of time. Long time
use of a computer often leads to writer's cramp,
which some argue is an early onset of carpal
tunnel syndrome.
Some people might think that carpal tunnel
syndrome is a new condition of the information
technology age, born from long hours of computer
keyboarding, but carpal tunnel is not new,
it just seems to appear more often because
the nature of work has changed. More jobs are
highly specialized and require the overuse
of only a small number of muscles repeatedly,
leading to a muscle imbalance. If one muscle
group is overused, then the opposing muscle
group must be underused. It is basic common
sense. Because of the underlying assumption
that computer use contributes to carpal tunnel
syndrome, concern from the government and employers
continues to grow. Ironically, studies out
of the Mayo Clinic released by the government
seem to actually show that using a computer
does not increase the risk of developing carpal
tunnel syndrome. (Of course many of these studies
are not taking in the appropriate information
or using the correct protocols, while others
have a biased agenda.)
There are arguments over why this is. The
test showed that those who worked a long period
of time every day with computers had the same
percentage of people develop carpal tunnel
syndrome as everyone else. One of the suggestions
for the reasoning is that the continued use
of computers would only affect people who did
not practice appropriate form. People who are
employed to work with computers are generally
better trained in how to type from home row,
how to keep their wrists straight, and how
to use good posture. All three of these factors
will help to decrease instances of carpal tunnel
syndrome, which in turn can help keep the number
of injuries down. On the other side of the
equation, computer use by individuals who hold
their wrists and fingers wrong, and put pressure
on their hands may actually cause the individuals
to get carpal tunnel from using the computer
constantly. This may be why the belief that
computer use causes carpal tunnel syndrome
remains strong, even when testing suggests
otherwise. Individuals trained in how to properly
use a computer will have all the exercises
and appropriate postures down, and hence not
experience the same injuries and muscle imbalances
as say someone who does not use appropriate
form or perform muscle balancing exercises
and stretches.
While the studies suggest that extensive use
of a computer does not contribute to carpal
tunnel syndrome, even that piece of information
should come with its own caveat, that being
that proper use of a computer appears to not
increase the chances of carpal tunnel, but
you need to learn to use proper posture and
know the correct stretches and exercises to
perform because excessive use of the computer
without proper hand positions leads to imbalances
in the hands, wrists, forearms and shoulders
that can contribute to the onset of carpal
tunnel syndrome.
Read on for further advice
on carpal tunnel syndrome.
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