Prevent painful hand cramping and carpal tunnel syndrome with these 15 simple solutions. Hand stretches, improved posture, and ergonomic office space and protective gloves and splints are just a few things that can help. Talking to a hand doctor can help you discover the source of chronic pain.

1. RenovaHandCenters.com
855.49.HANDS
The Leaders in Hand and Foot Care
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15 Ways to Prevent Hand and Wrist Pain
RenovaHandCenters
September 2014

2. RenovaHandCenters.com
855.49.HANDS
The Leaders in Hand and Foot Care
TM
Hand and wrists pain can be caused by a wide variety of conditions and behaviors.
Issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger are often caused or exacerbat-ed
by repetitive strenuous motions of the hands and wrists. To prevent injuries like
these, and to lower soreness and cramping in your hands and wrists, try some of
these simple tips.
1. Stretch often.
Many of our daily activities like typing, texting, and driving, cause us to hold our
hands and wrists in stiff, awkward positions. To counteract this, try stretches that
help limber up your fingers, palms, and wrists. Simple yoga poses, like prayer pose
and upward bound finger pose, can help.
2. Shake it out.
After you
stretch your
hands, simply
shake them out.
This can relieve
a bit of tension
and improve cir-culation,
which
will help pre-vent
cramping
in the fingers
and thumb.
3. Drink plenty
of water.
Muscle cramps can be brought on by dehydration and loss of electrolytes. Staying
hydrated can help prevent painful hand cramps, particularly if you have been expe-riencing
cramping after you exercise.

3. RenovaHandCenters.com
855.49.HANDS
The Leaders in Hand and Foot Care
TM
4. Get plenty of Vitamin D
and potassium.
In addition to dehydration,
muscle cramps can be caused
by a lack of Vitamin D and po-tassium.
Boosting these in your
diet may help prevent further
cramping in the hands.
5. Take breaks.
One of the most important
ways to prevent a repetitive
strain injury (RSI) is to allow
yourself time to rest. Whether
you are playing a sport, sewing
or crocheting, or using tools at
work, finding time to rest your
hands can help prevent and
alleviate hand pain.
6. Modify your routines.
You may find that altering the way you carry out your daily activities alleviates
stress in your hands and wrists. If you practice yoga, for example, there are many
ways to modify poses so that you are not putting more weight on your wrists than
they can handle.
7. Talk to your doctor.
While adapting healthy behaviors can help prevent and alleviate hand pain, most
conditions won’t go away on their own. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms
you have been experiencing to find out of you could benefit from medical treat-ment.

4. RenovaHandCenters.com
855.49.HANDS
The Leaders in Hand and Foot Care
TM
8. Hold wrists in a neutral position.
The best resting position for the wrist is a neutral one. This means that the wrist is
not bent up or down and hands are held with the palms facing upward. When your
hands are at work, try to keep from resting your wrists on the counter or desk.
9. Wear protective gloves or splints.
An over-the-counter splint can help if you struggle to hold your wrist in a neutral
position. These can be useful while you work as well as during sleep. If you work
with tools that vibrate, wearing gloves that absorb shock can reduce stress on your
hands and wrists.
10. Improve your posture.
While you may think that posture only affects the back and neck, hands and wrists
can also benefit from good posture. This is especially true when it comes to the way
you sit while working at the computer. Prevent hand pain from computer use by
keeping your forearms lowered or parallel to the ground. An ergonomic office chair
with low or removable arm rests can assist this position. This is a helpful way to pre-vent
stiff or awkward hand and wrist positions as you type.
11. Move around.
Ultimately, the best posture is a varied posture. Holding your hands in the same
position for too long will do more harm than good. Try to mix up the way you type,
write, hold a book, etc. throughout the day to keep from causing extra stress to your
hands.
12. Rearrange your desk.
Make it easier to shake up your routine and alternate your posture by rearranging
your work area. Create an ergonomic office by repositioning your monitor, moving
your keyboard, or placing your water bottle on a different side of the desk. Changes
like these can help keep you from staying in the same position for too long.

5. RenovaHandCenters.com
855.49.HANDS
The Leaders in Hand and Foot Care
TM
13. Buy good pens.
If you write for long
stretches of time, you
may be looking for a
way to prevent hand
pain when writing. Re-minding
yourself to relax
and hold your pen less
tightly is important, but
that can also be difficult
when you are writing
under pressure during a
long exam. In that case,
it is helpful to find pens
that are comfortable to
hold and use. Try out
pens with different grips
and thicknesses and see what feels best.
14. Apply an ice pack.
If your hands feel swollen and hot after exercise, using an ice pack may help. Make
sure to wrap the ice in a towel so that you do not apply it directly to the skin.
15. Use proper form when exercising.
Learning proper form for exercise can help prevent serious strain and injury to the
hands and wrists. You may discover that pain in the wrists and hand joints is the
result of using the wrong equipment or using incorrect form when doing activities
like weight training or yoga.