My Carpal Tunnel Prevention Secrets: 2 Game-Changing Fixes

Wrist pain from computer use can be a real nightmare!

But I discovered mine was totally fixable with a couple easy ergonomic changes!

How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain - in photo: AI generated image of a person with wrist pain — How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain. Image by ChatGPT.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is when a nerve in the wrist gets compressed.

This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling.

This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. For years, my poor computer posture caused muscle tension, inflammation, and chronic pain. Bad posture also decreased my mental clarity, energy level, and work productivity.

All the desk worker health tips I write about are directly related to improving posture at a computer. We are our own primary caretakers. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.

Benefits of Good Computer Posture — My ebook “3 Ways” is always free. It talks about the 3 most painful, poor posture mistakes I used to make while sitting at a computer for long periods of time. Then, it tells you how to fix those posture mistakes, immediately! You can download my ebook here.

How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain

Why Typing Causes Wrist Pain

The act of keystrokes didn’t actually cause my wrist pain.

My wrist pain was caused by incorrect elbow height and an outdated keyboard and mouse.

Elbows Below Desk Level

Desks that are too high, or too low, force us into unnatural positions.

No more holding elbows below desk level – that’s a major trigger that causes a chain reaction of computer-related pain.

Having my elbows too low used to cause overuse of my biceps (to lift my hands up onto the keyboard and mouse).

This led to repetitive strain, pain, and dysfunction throughout my entire arms and hands.

Illustration shows that the user on the left has their elbows below desk level (incorrect). The user on the right has their elbows slightly above desk level (correct). — The user on the left has their elbows below desk level (incorrect). The user on the right has their elbows slightly above desk level (correct). Image by Inegvin via Megapixl.

Outdated Keyboard and Mouse

My second cause of carpal tunnel syndrome was a bulky keyboard and mouse. They made me extend my wrists, in order to lift my hands onto the keys.

I used to hold this compromised position for 8 hours a day. This caused repetitive strain injuries.

Person using bulky keyboard — Notice this tall, bulky keyboard and mouse. It causes the user to extend their wrists at an upward angle to place their fingers on the keys. Image by Miflippo via Megapixl.

My Carpal Tunnel Prevention Secrets

I found 2 game-changing solutions that completely eliminated my wrist pain.

Elbow Height Above Desk Level

I like to keep my elbow height slightly above desk level.

I either raise my chair, or lower my desk, to get the correct elbow height.

Keeping my elbows above desk level takes a lot of strain off my biceps, which decreases pain and dysfunction down to my wrist.

Flat, Low-profile Keyboard and Mouse

I switched to a flat keyboard and mouse.

Mine are Apple products, though other affordable options exist. Side note: nothing in this email is paid promotion. I’m not compensated by any keyboard or mouse manufacturers.

My new flat keyboard and mouse allow me to keep my wrists in a neutral, straight, relaxed position.

My wrist pain disappeared within days after I started using a flat keyboard and mouse!

It was eye-opening!

It’s amazing how one small change in daily habits can lead to massive results over time.

Using flat mouse and keyboard can help on How to Avoid Computer Wrist Pain — Here is a flat keyboard and mouse similar to the ones I use now. Image by Jan Vlacuha via Unsplash.

Summary: How to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Maintain elbow height above desk level.
Use a flat, low-profile keyboard and mouse.
Keep wrists straight and relaxed, in a neutral position.
All these tips remain the same, regardless if we’re at a sitting or standing workstation.

These changes prevent excessive muscle strain, decrease pain, and improve blood flow through my wrists, hands, and fingers.

Interested in more ergonomic tips? Check out my free ebook 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!

Take care of those wrists!

Thanks for your interest in computer posture.

Todd Bowen

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN COMPUTER POSTURE.

If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce computer-related injuries by improving your posture. That’s something to be very proud of!

If you liked this article on how to avoid computer wrist pain, check out my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!

>>> Click here to download your free copy

3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately! by Todd Bowen

This ebook is a great supplement to the article you just read. In this ebook, you’ll learn 3 of the most painful, poor computer posture mistakes. Then, you’ll learn how to fix those mistakes immediately with 3 simple changes to your ergonomic computer desk setup.

Go to SittingPosture.com/ebook to learn more.

Take care,