Did you know Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) accounts for the greatest median number of days of missed work among the major industrial injuries and occupational diseases?

Or that every year between 3-6% of the American workforce suffer from CTS?

One doesn’t really realize how painful Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be until experienced. It’s an awful pain, tingling and numbness of the hand and fingers due to nerve impingement in the wrist.

The first time I ever heard of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was in 1997 when a fellow student studying French at the Alliance Francaise in Tunis told me that she ended up changing her career from a computer data entry desk job to becoming a boutique manager thanks to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Surgery did not work in her case, but she seemed happy with her new life and career. I did not think it important enough to research the subject.

A decade later, the word Carpal Tunnel Syndrome came up again.

This time the IT and Administration Officer at an audit client had to take sick leave thanks to the same condition when his hand went numb. He could not pick up a pen leave alone a coffee mug.

It would still be a few years later when I would wake up in the morning with an indescribable pain in my right-hand middle finger lasting for what seemed to be forever.

The first time this happened; I thought I had slept on the hand and pinched a nerve. When the daily morning episodes started with a burning pain in the wrist as well, a visit to the doctor was in order.

A specialist referral diagnosed it as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The technician who did the test told me that the syndrome was starting in the left hand as well and was gleeful that surgery was in order.

I took my prescription from the specialist who suggested I return in a fortnight to discuss possible treatment. 

Fortunately, a relative who is a Sports physician advised me to rest the wrist, review my lifestyle to find the cause and take preventive measures. Surgery was supposed to be the last option which luckily was ruled out by some timely action on my part. 

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: 

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers (although not the little finger), as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.

Although painful sensations may indicate other conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body’s peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself.

Contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause swelling, such as sprain or fracture; over activity of the pituitary gland; hypothyroidism; rheumatoid arthritis; mechanical problems in the wrist joint; work stress; repeated use of vibrating hand tools; fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause; or the development of a cyst or tumor in the canal.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is also associated with pregnancy and diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, no cause can be identified.

The risk of developing this syndrome is not exclusive to a single industry or a job or to just data entry personnel.

I got lucky that I took timely steps to tackle this problem.

When I posted an update about this problem on Facebook, 3 of my school friends wrote back to say they had experienced the same problem. They had to have surgery for relief. All 3 friends were in different vocations with 1 common factor. They used their hands while working long hours.

In all 3 cases, it came down to using a computer for long hours of the day without taking breaks until the wakeup call rang with excruciating pain. The stress caused by the pain and inability to use the hand with forced rest were also part of the fallout.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, do listen to your hand and review your work and lifestyle. I would suggest a visit to the doctor as well to rule out the causes and contributing factors.

Check the additional resources at the bottom of this post to learn more about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

 5 easy habits that prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Disclaimer: If you think you might be suffering from this infliction or are showing signs of it, please consult a specialist immediately. The guidance in this post is not a substitute for medical advice.

Prevention is always better than a cure.

Here are 5 easy habits you can adopt to prevent being inflicted with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you are using the computer for long hours:

• Check your posture – keep your back straight and ensure that you are not putting too much pressure on your wrists, particularly if you use the computer predominantly during the day.

• Warm up your hands before you begin typing. Try finger push-ups, hand massages and even opening your hands wide and stretching your fingers.

• Take short breaks which can range from a few seconds to a few minutes to relieve pressure on the blood vessels and ensure good circulation.

• Exercise your wrists at regular intervals. Here is a great set of exercises that can be done while standing or even sitting. Extend both arms in front of the body. Then move the backs of the palms and the fingers towards your body. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax the wrists. Then while still holding your arms in front of you keep your wrists straight and curl your fingers into a fist. Squeeze and hold for 10 seconds. The next step is to bend the wrists downwards and hold for 10 seconds. Relax, straighten the wrists and bring your arms back down. You may repeat this exercise about 8 to 10 times.

• Drink lots of water. This helps to flush out the toxins in the body and keeps your muscles supple.

If you already have or suspect that you have this problem, proper medical advice is imperative.

In my case, I learned the hard way to take breaks and rest my hands. Once in a blue moon I wake up with a pain in the middle finger of my right hand and know it is because I lapsed with the breaks and exercises. 

I also exercise my hands and fingers with a Smiley Ball.

I acknowledge and accept responsibility for the health of my wrist and hands and do what is needed to avoid going back to the specialist. Prevention is better than a cure. In this case, one’s health is literally in one’s hands.

Have you ever experienced carpal tunnel syndrome? What remedies would you add to my preventive checklist?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Management -Useful Resources 

Stress Management with Chakra Balancing Exercises by Karmic Ally Coaching 

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Page 

Wrist Pain – Mayo Clinic 

Do you have control over your workspace stress?

Statistics courtesy U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Remedy: A Step-by-Step Plan to Heal Weakness, Numbness, and Tingling Without Surgical Intervention; Undo Past Harm and Experience Long-Lasting Relief

Smiley Balls

Get yourself one today (click the image below to find it!)

Picture Credit: Listen To The Hand… by Bobbi Jones Jones

This post was written in 2012 and has been updated in 2025 for new information.

Written By: Vatsala Shukla

Many years ago, when one of the Big Four firms whom I worked for moved into its new state of the art building, the entire office received a gift pack. It contained a branded sipper bottle, a pen stand with a clock and a yellow smiley foam ball.

Everyone understood the utility of the first 2 gifts but few knew that the smiley ball was meant for stress management.

I liked Smiley as I called the ball and although I did not need to use it, kept it as a token of my time in the firm.

Years later, when Coco came to live with us, I gifted it to her until her puppy teeth started to come out. Then I realized there was an element of danger to her health. Smiley was hidden away in a safe place and replaced with more appropriate toys for a puppy.

Recently I took out Smiley for to show my mother how to use it to lower her blood pressure. Coco, who has had a setback to her recovery since my last post on melting moments took a fancy to it. Currently Smiley is acting as her stress ball. (That’s her with Smiley in the photo.)

Can a low-cost squishy ball actually provide medical benefits?

The answer is yes.

Using a stress ball–a foam or gel-filled ball that provides some resistance to pressure–can reduce stress immediately. A few squeezes in a short session help to release stress but there are other benefits too.

In this post, I’m sharing 3 practical applications of the stress ball and it does not have to look like Smiley.

Caveat: In case of a severe condition, please consult your doctor before trying any of these exercises. Where researchers and reports contain warnings, I have provided them in the relevant application. In particular, for lowering blood pressure where more research is required.

The applications that I am going to share are meant to supplement any ongoing treatment. They are not as an alternative to proper medical care and are for information only.

How stress balls relieve stress

A stress ball is also known as a stress reliever because it is designed to relieve stress through repeated squeezing of the ball. One immediate explanation for its ability to relieve stress is that it deflects the attention of the user from the cause of the stress. When we squeeze the ball, not only does our focus shift, but also nerves in the palm transmit signals to the brain to increase endorphin production resulting in an increase our sense of well-being.

Squeezing the ball results in hand muscles repeatedly contracting and relaxing. The flexing of our fingers during the squeezing exercise promotes blood circulation in the palm and to some extent in the forearm too.

This increase in blood circulation helps the user to get rid of pent-up irritation, tension, anxiety, and depression and feel lighter.

Another exercise that engages muscles up the entire arm while providing a light massage to the fingers, palms and wrist is to roll the ball against a table. Repeat the back-and-forth motion up to 20 times with each hand.

Isometric exercises help to lower blood pressure

I recently read an article which stated that the American Heart Association had released a report on combining alternative therapy with medication prescribed by doctors to lower blood pressure.

The article spoke about known methods with exercise leading the study as the most effective non-medicine approach to reducing high blood pressure.

This was followed by breathing exercises and then behavioral therapies like transcendental meditation.

The point that caught my attention was the mention of the considerable blood pressure lowering effect of isometric handgrip exercises. The report warned that, “caution is required at this point because only a few relatively small studies have been published. Results from larger-scale high-quality studies are necessary to draw firm conclusions.”

It also mentioned that handgrip exercises should be avoided by patients with severely uncontrolled high blood pressure (180/110 mm Hg or higher).

Provided you don’t have uncontrolled high blood pressure, here is a simple technique that you can use for alternative hand ball squeezes.

Hold the stress ball in the palm of your hand and squeeze it for 10 seconds and then slowly release your grip. Repeat the exercise with the other hand. Do this 4 times daily.

Smiley Balls come in different colors – choose one you are attracted to!

Improve wrist strength to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

I wrote at length about carpal tunnel syndrome in my post “Is your wrist telling you to relax?”. It has simple exercises to relieve the pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury.

Stress balls can help to improve hand and wrist strength. To strengthen the wrist, use the same exercise as the one described for lowering your blood pressure above.

To improve your finger and thumb strength, pinch the ball with the thumb and each finger, one at a time. Then pinch the ball between just the fingers, giving the thumb a rest. Hold each pinch for a count of three and repeat up to twenty times or to the point of fatigue.

All of the exercises that I have shared can be done while sitting in one place and during short breaks.

In conclusion, squeezing the stress ball, pinching it or simply rolling it on a table can help to improve our sense of well-being providing us with the opportunity to help ourselves to feel better.  Who does not want to feel good?

These are just 3 applications that I shared. Which of these stress ball exercises have you tried?

Resources: You might to check out to learn more

Handgrip Exercises May Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Are You Heading for a Burnout?

Karmic Ally Coaching’s Stress Management with Chakra Balancing Exercises Bundle will help. Download your personal us product clicking on the image below or click here

Written By: Vatsala Shukla

Workspace stress is a real phenomenon that needs to be addressed.

I had my second tryst with a slipped disc injury in 2011 when a BPO van hit my car. The rear end of my vehicle required denting and painting. But the real damage was the resulting jolt to my back, a slipped disc and many painfully frustrating weeks recuperating.

At the time, the good orthopedic surgeon told me to take comfort from the fact that considering my age group, my back was doing well otherwise.

It appears that back problems, herniated discs and posture problems are increasing among the 21–35-year age group due to the workplace environment.

I thought he was being kind but recently, my neighbor’s 21-year-old daughter who has just joined the workforce is down with a back problem and complete bed rest. Her mother tells me the workplace environment is stressful and her recent ailment a direct result of sitting at her desk the whole day.

When it comes to workspace stress, we may not be able to control everything in our workplace environment

Yet, we DO have control over our workspace environment.

That control can help in keeping off some of the stress and maintaining good health. So here is a quiz that I use in my Stress Management Coaching.

Look carefully at the 8 questions on the slide and respond with a Yes or a No.

If you feel it is a Maybe/Sometimes, just treat it as a No. Give yourself 1 point for each Yes and 0 for each No or a feeling Maybe/Sometimes and then tally your score.

There are no right or wrong answers just facts so be honest and help yourself to you!

Workspace Stress Quiz

Workspace Stress Quiz Scoring

8 Yes – Excellent, you don’t need to read further but can help others by sharing this post

7 Yes 1 No – Well done. Check below to see what you need to do to get 8 Yes and share the post.

6 or less Yes – You need to start taking stock of your workspace. Check the tips below.

8 No – PLEASE stop in your tracks and take serious control of your workspace before your stress levels increase and health deteriorates.

6 really Simple Solutions that reduce Workspace Stress 

1. & 2. Fatigue sets in when we are in the same position throughout the day.

Alternate your tasks during the day so that your body does not get stressed out. If you have a predominantly desk job, make it a point to get up for 5 minutes every hour and get some movement into your schedule. Take a walk to the photocopier or get a glass of water.

Sounds difficult?

How about getting up from your seat and just stretching with your arms above your head? Incorporate movement into your day by alternating tasks and avoid fatigue by improving your blood circulation.

3.  Adjust your seat first thing in the morning to ensure that there is a better fit for the lower area of your back.

Even if you have to go another room for a meeting, adjust your meeting chair to feel comfortable. It will ensure that you are able to focus more on the meeting and less on your discomfort. Consider investing in a good lumbar pillow.

4.  The area under your desk is not a storage area and you need to clear out materials, bags, files and papers.

Your legs and knees too need space! Your thighs should be able to go completely under the table. Also consider lowering your chair so that your legs do not hang in air.

5. Cradling your phone/mobile between your shoulder and head will give you neck problems.

Consider putting on the speaker phone or if that is not possible a phone head set.

6. & 7.  Avoid stressing your wrist by making sure that your forearms, wrist and hand form a straight line.

If required, adjust your chair and keyboard. Excessive use of the computer with wrong positioning of your hands can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome– which is quite painful.

Increase the life of your keyboard and be kinder to your fingers and hands by typing gently.  Attacking the keyboard won’t get the work done faster, so don’t take your anger and stress out on the keyboard!

8. If you use the computer excessively for your work, make sure that you schedule an eye exam every 6 months to make sure that your power has not increased.

Remember to tell the eye professional your age and the amount of time spent in front of the computer. Both are factors in determining if you need glasses and if so, the right power. Your reading power might not increase but constant use of the computer may require correction to your lens.

Do you have any techniques of your own to handle workspace stress? 

Long term stress contributes to burnout. Game to take another assessment and find out if you’re heading for a burnout?

Update 18 July 2024 – Overcoming Corporate Burnout

Burnout is real and considered by WHO as an occupational phenomenon that can lead to serious mental and physical health concerns.

I’ve been hearing from colleagues about burnout and that inspired me to start writing about it.

The end result is Overcoming Corporate Burnout: Unlocking Vitality and Engagement for Professional Success.

As a professional who’s had to face burnout and survived, this is my endeavor to share what works.

Inside this burnout prevention and recovery book, you’ll learn:

– The key signs and symptoms of corporate burnout and how to recognize them early.
– Proven techniques to manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
– Strategies to enhance your mental and physical well-being, boosting your energy and focus.
– How to create healthy boundaries to guard your space and time and avoid being overwhelmed.
– Ways to increase your engagement and productivity, ensuring sustained professional growth.

Now it’s your turn to learn the basics to prevent burnout and start your road to recovery if you’re already experiencing burnout.

The book is available across all Amazon markets.

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

Amazon India

Written By: Vatsala Shukla