PHONES, KEYBOARDS AND GRIPS: EASING HAND AND WRIST STRAIN

Tingling fingers or a sore thumb often come from how we use our hands every day. Bending the wrist over and over, or gripping hard, can strain the tendons and the nerve that pass through the wrist. A few simple changes in how you text, type and grip can ease that strain.

Two common causes of hand and wrist pain

Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on a nerve inside the wrist. The nerve runs through a narrow passage called the carpal tunnel. When the tissue there swells, the nerve gets squeezed. The NHS lists these signs:

• Tingling or pins and needles in the fingers
• Numb hands
• An ache or pain in the fingers, hand or arm
• A weak thumb or trouble gripping

Symptoms often start slowly, come and go, and are usually worse at night. Work or hobbies that bend the wrist again and again, or that need a hard grip (such as vibrating tools), raise the risk. So do arthritis, diabetes, extra body weight, a past wrist injury and a close family member with the condition.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. It causes pain that is worse when you lift your thumb, tenderness, some swelling and sometimes a clicking feeling. There is often no clear cause, but busy hands at home, in the garden or during sport can make it worse. Mild cases may settle within a few weeks.

What you can do at home

Here in the foothills, our hands stay busy with golf clubs, pickleball paddles, garden tools, hiking poles, phones and keyboards. These steps come from NHS and AAOS advice:

• Cut down on what hurts. Ease off activities that bend the wrist again and again or need a hard grip.
• Keep your wrist straight when you can. A straight wrist puts less pressure on the nerve. For carpal tunnel symptoms, the NHS suggests a wrist splint at night to keep the wrist straight. It may take up to 6 weeks to feel the benefit.
• Support a sore thumb. For De Quervain's, a splint that holds both the wrist and the thumb can help. Pharmacies and sports shops carry them.
• Try gentle hand exercises. Stretching exercises may ease carpal tunnel symptoms. The NHS notes the evidence for them is limited, and the AAOS advises doing them with your doctor's guidance.

How chiropractic care fits in

At Foothills Chiropractic, our exam comes with questions about how you use your hands at work and play. Care may include gentle chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, home exercises and tips for your desk, phone or grip. If you need nerve testing, an injection or a surgeon's opinion, we will refer you. You can also read about tennis and golfer's elbow, posture and desk strain and muscle strains and overuse injuries.

When to get checked

Get checked if your symptoms are getting worse, are not going away, or home care is not helping. A weak thumb or trouble gripping is a good reason to be seen. If you are not sure whether thumb pain is De Quervain's or thumb arthritis, an exam can help sort it out.