With the majority of people working from home on a regular basis nowadays, the need to adapt your new home workspace is more important than ever. One of the most overlooked aspects in creating an optimal home office setup is considering how to make the setup as comfortable and as ergonomic-friendly as possible. Since you may be working in your home office for an extended period of time, a suboptimal setup may leave you dealing with nagging wrist, arm, and hand pain or discomfort.
What Causes Wrist, Arm, and Hand Pain
Pain in the wrist, arm, and hand can manifest in a number of ways and feel very uncomfortable. There can be sharp pain and constant aching depending on the position and can even cause fatigue and weakness. Common problems that cause wrist, arm, and hand pain include:
- Repetitive movements (texting, typing)
- Sustained grasping/squeezing/pinching (of the mouse )
- Awkward positioning (poor sitting or standing posture)
- Prolonged work periods (failure to take sufficient work breaks for physical activity)
Symptoms of injuries to the Wrist, Arm, and Hand
The pain, fatigue or discomfort that arises from these stressors can be the first signs of injury. Common ergonomic injuries in the work setting include tendon issues, nerve compression, and bursitis. Common diagnoses include Dequervain’s tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger thumb. Signs of injury include:
- Clicking or popping in a joint
- Warmth or swelling around the site of injury
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Loss of strength/ motion
Approaches to Recovery
How you approach recovery depends primarily on what is causing the pain. Identifying what triggers the pain (i.e. a certain position, movement) is the best place to start. It may also be helpful to consider whether you’ve made any recent changes to your daily tasks or workspace. Once you have an understanding of what makes it worse, you can stop or change the behavior to avoid chronic pain. Treatment for everyday pain can be approached in a variety of way, including:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Workspace modifications
- Minimally invasive procedures (steroid injections, premier provider of EPAT in San Francisco)
- Work habit modifications
- OTC medications, ice, heat
For individuals who have daily symptoms, we recommend seeing a healthcare professional for an assessment. Avid Sports Medicine offers a team-based approach to care led by Dr. Veronica Jow, a Bay Area Sports Medicine Doctor. We use in-office ultrasound for diagnosis and a customized treatment plan on your first visit.
Workspace Considerations
Because most of your day is spent at work, it’s important to optimize your desk. If you’re primarily working on a computer at a desk/table, check the ergonomics of your setup, such as
- Screen height
- Keyboard placement and alignment
- Arm/wrist rests
- Chair setup
- Mouse accessories
- Phone and tablet use
Ergonomic injuries that cause wrist, arm, and hand pain at work account for more than 3,800 days away from work a year. Avid Sports Medicine offers clinic assessments (in-office and by video), as well as employee wellness solutions to address the culprits of pain. In addition to treating injuries and pain, our ergonomic sessions and signature body breaks are instrumental in helping employees adjust to the work from home setting. Contact us today for individual care or wellness program ideas!