How to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Wrist pain from typing can be a stubborn, poor posture mistake to fix. However, having pain-free wrists while typing is a very possible reality. It only took 2 changes to my ergonomic workstation and 2 corrections to my poor computer posture.

First, this article will explain the computer posture mistakes that caused my wrist pain. Then, it will go over how I fixed my wrist pain caused by typing. It will talk about the good computer posture habits I used, as well as the best ergonomic devices for carpal tunnel syndrome that I purchased.

Quick side note, I’m working at my standing computer workstation today. But the computer pain relief tips in this article will always work, regardless if we’re working in a standing or sitting posture.

This article is not professional medical advice. It’s based off my personal experience and opinions. My poor posture at a computer caused painful wrist injuries from keyboard and mouse use. I write about ergonomic tips that are directly related to improving your posture at a computer. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.

Why does typing cause wrist pain?

Before we talk about natural remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome, we need to understand what we’re doing wrong.

We probably don’t have our wrists straight while we’re making these keystrokes. Our desk could be too high, which would cause wrist flexion. Or our desk is too low, which would cause wrist extension.

Repetitive strain of the wrist muscles

When we are using a tall, bulky keyboard and mouse, we have to keep our wrist muscles engaged to lift our hands onto the high keyboard and mouse. This is known as wrist extension. This is also common when typing on a laptop keyboard. Also, this is what caused carpel tunnel syndrome for me. This long term repetitive strain adds up quickly when working on a computer 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, 2000 hours a year. 

How to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

I never found any carpal tunnel prevention exercises that decreased my wrist pain. The most valuable ways I fixed my wrist pain were the natural remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome listed below. They simply involve switching out 2 devices (keyboard and mouse) for better ergonomic devices that avoid carpal tunnel syndrome. I also made 2 more easy changes to my ergonomic desk setup. After making these 4 changes to my workstation, my new typing posture to avoid carpal tunnel naturally became a good computer posture habit.

Best Keyboard for Carpal Tunnel Prevention

I’ll start with a quick, full disclosure. The external keyboard and mouse I use to fix carpal tunnel syndrome is made by Apple. I’m not compensated by Apple in any way. I paid for them with my own money. I like sharing info on products that have improved my sitting posture and decreased my pain at work. Both of these products played a key role in that.

Once I finally realized that wrist overuse was the cause of my carpal tunnel syndrome (and not typing), this poor posture problem was super easy to fix. I simply bought a new external keyboard and mouse. My wrist pain at work completely went away within a couple of days. It was pretty eye opening. Since then, I’ve been practicing this good posture change consistently every day.

The main variable is to keep your wrists straight in a neutral position. In order to do that, we need a keyboard that is flat, slim, and low profile.

Best Mouse for Carpal Tunnel Prevention

Using a mouse has the same important variable as a keyboard. I need to be able to keep my wrists straight in a neutral position for long periods of time. This will allow good blood flow through my wrist, hand, and fingers. In order to work in this good posture, neutral position, I use a mouse that is low to the desk, not tall and bulky.

Keep elbow height slightly above desk level

I always keep my elbow slightly higher than my keyboard and mouse. This applies regardless if I’m working in a standing or sitting posture. I will either raise my chair, or lower my desk, to get my elbow height above desk level. 

Also, I never, ever hold my elbow below desk level (anymore). I used to commit this bad posture mistake. It was impossible to keep my wrists straight in a neutral position. In order to lift my hands onto my keyboard and mouse, I had to flex my wrists to type on the keyboard. This caused excessive overuse and pain in my wrists.

I used to sit in this poor posture for years. My low elbow height was caused by one simple computer posture mistake. My chair was too low. I fixed it by simply raising my chair, which raised my elbow level slightly above my keyboard and mouse.

Keep wrists straight in a neutral position

The main variable is to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome is to keep your wrists straight in a neutral position.

The flat keyboard and mouse, along with my correct elbow height, has made it much easier for me to keep my wrists straight in a neutral position for long periods of time. This will allow good blood flow through my wrist, hand, and fingers.

Without a flat keyboard and mouse, keeping wrists straight is going to be pretty difficult to do.

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Thanks for your interest in good computer posture. If you’ve read this far, congratulations! You’re taking valuable steps to reduce pain and improve your computer posture. That’s something to be very proud of!

If you liked this article on how to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, check out my free ebook titled 3 Ways to Improve Computer Posture Immediately!

>>> Click here to download your free copy

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,

Todd Bowen