Professional consultant／Hsu Chih-Chung, Physical Therapist Li-Kong Ortho Clinic, New Taipei City

Type 1 People who sit for long periods at work

Frequently asked question 1: “Mouse wrist”

So called “mouse wrist” is also called Carpal tunnel syndrome. When people who sit for long periods at work use a PC and mouse often, the Median nerve on the side of the wrist becomes blocked after being put under pressure by the carpal tunnel for a long time, resulting in lack of blood and causing numbness, prickly feeling and, in serious cases, weakness of the muscles of the hand, leaving the sufferer unable to exert any force with the hand. Apart from switching to an ergonomic mouse pad and not letting the elbow hang in the air when using a PC you should also remember to lift up the arms every 15 minutes and spend 10 seconds releasing wrist pressure, and also do wrist exercises when resting.

● Wrist stretching exercise Stretch out the right hand with palm up and arm straight, palm spread; then pull the fingers down gently with the left hand; keep the position for 30-60 seconds, once on each side is a set, do 5-10 times. Every experienced badminton player will know that the wrist is the key to exerting power. To play lethal smashes we must regularly take care of our wrist. Do wrist stretching exercises every day and you won’t end up feeling like you have no strength in your wrist and only able to deliver weak smashes. Wrist stretching exercise

Frequently asked question 2: Keyboard finger

Hitting the keys on a keyboard when we type might seem a simple thing but, when the finger joints are used to perform the same action over and over for a long time, the tendon and epitenon can become inflamed. If your fingers are stiff when you get up in the morning and can only exert normal force after five minutes you may suffer from keyboard finger. In serious cases, when the fingers are bent resistance will be felt at a certain angle;this is because the inflammation of the epitenon for too long a time has caused hypertrophy and this is affecting the movement of the joint.

Finger joint stretching exercise   ● Finger joint stretching exercise Bend the right arm at the elbow with palm facing up and fingers spread;first take the end joint of the little finger and gently pull down for 30-60 seconds, repeating the movement for each finger and then thumb;once on each side is a set, do 5-10 sets.

Type 2 People who stand for long periods at work

Frequently asked question: Calf muscle tightness

If bank workers and people in the service industry stand for a long time in one place they can easily feel calf ache and develop “turnip calves” due the calves being stretched for an excessive amount of time. Apart from occasionally walking or sit down to relax the calf muscles, going to the toilet and bending the leg at the knee and raising the lower leg towards the buttocks will give the joints a chance to move and also release pressure on the calves; also, soak the feet after going home and stretch the calf muscles to relax the muscles; all these measures can ease the calf thickening caused by fibrosis.

Type 3 People who engage in physical labor at work

Frequently asked question: Lower back and waist pain

When we lift heavy objects we rely on power from our waist. When we bend over and lift things but aren’t in a correct squatting posture the back muscles can be over-stretched; if what we lift is heavy, we can strain our back; repeated lifting of heavy things or doing it with the wrong posture can cause lower back pain. When we sit we will feel a dull ache in the lower back, especially when sitting on a sofa because our waist and buttocks sink into the soft sofa, making the discomfort more intense; there can also be a sharp pain in the waist like an electric shock when moving objects. If we take no remedial action the body will naturally adopt a forward leaning compensatory posture to avoid the pain and this will cause more serious intervertebral disc herniation, and make early spinal deterioration or vertebral arthritis more likely. Apart from people who do physical labor at work, women who have given birth and mothers who often hold babies can also suffer lower back and waist pain; older people also can also strain their back or suffer back pain when they lift objects due to joint degeneration and reduced muscle strength.

● Waist stretching exercise Lie on your back with left leg stretched out naturally and right leg bent at the knee; take the right knee in both hands and gently pull it towards the body; keep in position for 30-60 seconds; once on each side is a set, do 5-10 sets. Waist stretching exercise