How Ergonomic Consulting Targets the Root Cause of Nerve Pain at Your Desk
Nerve pain expressed distal down the arm including the hands and wrists is annoying and difficult to kick once acquired. A lot of this has to do with the fact that we use our hands and wrists so much throughout our days and lives. This is why it is a warning sign that shall not be taken lightly and be addressed as soon as possible to deter the progression of injury or illness. Interventions would involve taking a closer look at your computer workstation as it may be working against your body. Tingling, numbness, or weakness can all be signs of nerve compression due to unideal computer workstation ergonomics. If this is left unaddressed, the symptoms can then progress into a chronic or irreparable condition that would have a strong impact on your work life and everything outside of that. This is why you should not hesitate to seek help as needed.
One heavy source of nerve pain related to working at a computer is the compression of the median nerve. This is what is known as carpal tunnel syndrome. It occurs when the wrist is both overused and the area is exposed to external and or internal pressure. This pressure is most commonly due to inflammation. Nerve pain in the arms can result from poor postures of the neck, shoulders, and back. This is because the nerves that affect the hands and wrists run through the neck and shoulders. This may result in radiating pain down the nerve conduit that feeds all the way to the fingers.
An ergonomic consultant works to perform careful observation of factors that can lead to symptoms of nerve compression. The consultant will notice things about your posture, equipment setup, and mechanics that are not normally understood by others. They then will explain what influences the habit or position and starts conversations around what can be done to get resolve.
The position of the wrists determines the amount of pressure within the carpal when performing hand activities and therefore straightening the wrists in a neutral posture is important. Thus, an ergonomic specialist will pay attention to typing positions and motions ensuring that your wrist is straight in all ways (pronation, extension, deviation). The ergo specialist would do what's needed to encourage your elbows to be remain directly under your shoulders as well as relaxed back and down. Seemingly small adjustments have a major impact on the outcome when at the computer where actions involve awkward postures and repetition. For instance lowering the surface your keyboard and mouse are on can reduce contact pressure on the structures of sensitive nerves and improve body mechanics and bilateral wrist positioning.
Equipment choices are also critical in certain cases determined by the ergonomist. Most people understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to clothes so why would it apply to a mouse, or a chair? Ergonomists are trained to identify improper fit and know the ins and outs of ergonomic equipment and furniture.
Ergonomists will seek to mitigate sustained pressure on soft tissue and joints that can ultimately lead to inflammation. The new ways of typing involve people resting their wrists on a hard surface in front of the devices including the keyboard and mouse. Back in the day, typewriters didn't allow for this. The constant contact pressure on the structures of the carpal can compress the median or ulnar nerves. An ergonomic assessment would help identify poor habits and suggests solutions like soft gel pads supports, repositioning techniques, etc. If you would like to learn more, contact an ergonomic specialist with Ergobility today.
