Beadwork

Take Great Care of Your Hands

by Paula S. Morgan

for About.com

Use your keyboard properly. Keeping your hands and wrists in the proper position and not banging on the keys are good way to cut down on strain and impact in your hands and arms. Your hands should angle down towards the keyboard while you are typing with your forearms at a right-angle to your body. Don't rest your wrists on anything while you type; wrist rests are for resting, not typing! Get an ergonomic keyboard; it will help keep your hands at the correct angle in relation to your wrists and even makes learning to type properly easier. Also, try a glare filter for your computer screen if you get neck strain from tilting your head to "see around" the glare.
Keep your hands and arms warm. Try using special fingerless gloves or a wrist splint that will help keep your hands warm and maintain the blood circulation in your wrists and hands.
Get a mouse pad with a gel wrist rest that will warm with your body heat and conform to your wrist shape and remove pressure on the nerves.
Most important and simplest of all, pay attention to what your body is telling you. Adjust the position of your wrists and arms whenever tension starts to build. If your neck hurts, pay attention to how you are sitting and adjust your posture accordingly. If your elbows or forearms hurt, take a look at your armrests. Are they too high or too low? Too hard? Anything that cuts off your circulation or presses on a nerve can cause damage over time.

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