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Thumb and Wrist Pain – De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

Thumb and Wrist Pain – De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis

by | Feb 7, 2018 | Arcata News, Ergonomics Solutions, Human Resources

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager (Arcata, CA)
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
“De Quervain’s is more common in women than in men, and almost 50% of new mothers experience this condition. It has a tendency to develop during pregnancy, when fluid may be retained. It may also develop during menopause.” – WestChester Magazine

Many workers perform repetitive tasks with their hands at work, which may put them at greater risk for thumb and wrist pain. Furthermore, studies have revealed that women may be more susceptible than men to thumb and wrist pain in the workplace, specifically to De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. “De Quervain’s is more common in women than in men, and almost 50% of new mothers experience this condition. It has a tendency to develop during pregnancy, when fluid may be retained. It may also develop during menopause,” writes WestChesterMagazine.

What is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?

Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath which surrounds a tendon and usually leads to joint paint, swelling, or stiffness. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis refers to the condition which affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. According to Mayo Clinic, “it will probably hurt when you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.”

Causes and symptoms

De Quervain’s may be caused by a variety of work related or personal factors. Common work related factors include repetitive motions with the hands, movement that involves wrist bending, gripping, awkward lifting movement, and twisting. Repetitive tasks at the office, at an assembly line warehouse, or any job that includes twisting screws, using a keyboard or mouse, rapid repetitive hand activities, and even the use of a smart phone may put workers at risk for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

Symptoms include pain at the radial side (the thumb side) of the wrist, spasming, tenderness, burning sensation in the hand, swelling, and difficulty gripping. The pain often increases as you move your thumb and wrist.

Why women more than men?

One reason women are affected more often than men by De Quervain’s tenosynovitis may be due to the changes a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women experience fluid retention, which may cause vulnerability to inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath that surrounds the tendon, especially if a repetitive job is involved. Outside of the workplace, new mothers experience wrist and thumb pain from lifting their baby or holding their baby’s head during feeding. Other contributing factors may include hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy and menopause.

What should you do if you have thumb and wrist pain?

Speak with your doctor – Always consult with your doctor when experiencing pain. A doctor can provide an x-ray to rule out any serious injuries, such as a fracture.

Rest – Allowing plenty of rest time is the best way to treat thumb joint pain, though work obligations may make this difficult. A thumb splint or brace can assist in helping to rest and ease the workload of the hand.

Reduce inflammation – Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or creams that can help with recovery time, as well as provide injections as treatment.

Hand therapy – A hand specialist may offer you special massage treatments, such as ultrasound massage. They may also provide stretches and strengthening exercises.

Asses your workstation’s ergonomics – Contact an ergonomics consultant to ensure that your workstation is properly set up. An ergonomics specialist will evaluate your workstation with the objective to prevent injury or prevent further damage, as well as provide recommendations to optimize your workspace.

In Conclusion

As with any pain or work injury you may experience, be sure to consult your doctor to rule out any serious damage. Remember to remain proactive about your health and continue to seek out new ways to improve your health.

As always, be sure to share these tips with your co-workers or employees and for more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

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Ergonomics Tips: Don’t Eat Lunch Alone at Your Desk

Ergonomics Tips: Don’t Eat Lunch Alone at Your Desk

by | Sep 21, 2017 | Arcata News, Ergonomics, Ergonomics Solutions, Human Resources, Olympia Ergonomics News

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager

Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Ergonomics Tips: Don’t Eat Lunch Alone at Your Desk

“65% of American workers say they eat at their desk or don’t take a lunch break at all.” – Right Management Human Resources Survey

In an era of multi-tasking at work, it may be tempting to “save time” by eating alone at your desk or in your office. But is it really more efficient to eat alone at your office desk or is it a bad habit?

If you eat at your desk, you are not alone. Studies show that 65% of American workers eat at their desk or skip it altogether, that means only 1 in 3 workers take an uninterrupted lunch at their job.

3 reasons why you should avoid eating your lunch alone at your desk:

1) Eating lunch with co-workers is a networking opportunity.
Eating can be a social activity and one you can share with your co-workers or staff on the job. Connecting with your fellow employees could help you get that job promotion in the future or stay in the mind of others for other work opportunities.

If you must work while you eat, consider scheduling the lunch with your co-workers in advance, so that you can all work and eat together.

2) Social Isolation is bad for your health.
People with strong social relationships may increase their odds of a longer life by as much as 50% according to plosmedicine. Being isolated or alone could negatively affect your health, leading to “compromised immunity and inflammation, heart disease, and other chronic issues.” National Institute on Aging

3) Uninterrupted meal breaks are a great way to reset the workday.
According to Lyle Sussman of the University of Louisville, “taking an uninterrupted meal break is healthy, increases job efficiency and improves morale.” Increased job efficiency and a healthier you will not only be good your personal health, but for the company itself. After your uninterrupted lunchbreak, you will feel refreshed and be able to finish the workday out without feeling so overwhelmed and stressed out.

In Conclusion
Being unhealthy in the workplace can lead to loss of focus, which could lead to errors or injury at the work place. As ergonomics experts, Solutions Northwest wants to make sure your workplace remains a safe and healthy environment for all.

Be sure to share these tips with the rest office workers or employees. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

Video: Low Back and Core Exercises you can do at Your Work Desk

Video: Low Back and Core Exercises you can do at Your Work Desk

by | Sep 11, 2017 | Arcata News, Exercise Video, Health, Human Resources, Olympia Ergonomics News

Watch Solutions Northwest Inc.’s Ergonomics Exercises video:
“Exercise at Your Desk: Low Back and Core Exercises” by clicking on the image above or visiting our YouTube channel.

Related: Poor ergonomics or frequent sitting causing low back pain?

The modern job often requires us to sit at a desk or hunch over a device (sometimes these offices have poorly executed ergonomics planning), which has lead to an increase of back pain caused by the workplace. If you are experiencing back pain at work, this video will provide some exercises that may provide both relief and strength training for your chest and back.

Remember to listen to your body while at work. Try some tips from our previous blog:
Don’t overwork yourself.

According to BYLLP, the Top 5 Work Related Injuries are caused by: Overexertion, Slip and Fall Injuries, Equipment Injury, Motor Vehicle Injury, and Repetitive Motion Injuries.

Our clients at SolutionsNW.com frequently tell us they’ve developed musculoskeletal disorders by pushing themselves too hard. Commonly, the injury is from repetitive motion related to work tasks. Repetitive tasks require us to do the same movements over and over again. It especially becomes a problem when we ignore our body’s warning signals of pain.

Listen to your body.

Our body starts sending stronger and stronger warning signals until we finally pay attention. When we start paying attention we regret letting the pain get to the point it is at.

This is why we need to pay attention to our bodies. Our health should be our number one priority because without it we have nothing. A lot of times we cannot physically do as much as we want to or feel we have to.

We just have to find a way to be at peace with that. Things we want to accomplish will get done eventually, it may just take longer than we would like.

Try some tips from our Ergonomics Blog whenever you’re feeling a little overworked:

For more guidance on all things Ergonomics, visit Solutions Northwest or contact one of our experts today.

Don’t forget to subscribe and share with your employees or co-workers.

5 Healthy Habits for Workplace Coffee Drinkers

5 Healthy Habits for Workplace Coffee Drinkers

by | Jul 24, 2017 | Arcata News, Health, Human Resources, Oregon Health Blog, Seattle Blog

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager, Arcata, CA
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

5 Healthy Habits for Workplace Coffee Drinkers
Healthy Coffee Habits
“1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every day.” – International Coffee Organization

Coffee is a popular way to stay alert at work. According to a recent survey, 43 percent of workers say that they are “less productive if they go without coffee.” According to Medical News Today when consumed in moderation, coffee may also have health benefits “from helping prevent diabetes to lowering the risk of liver disease.”

However, too much of anything can have its problems. The Mayo Clinic states: “consuming more than 500-600 mg of caffeine a day may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, an upset stomach, a fast heartbeat and even muscle tremors, and even moderate amounts of caffeine may lead to negative health effects.”

Knowing there are both risks and benefits to using coffee in the office or workplace, try the following tips to help you enjoy coffee in a healthy way.

5 Healthy Habits for Workplace Coffee Drinkers:

  1. Bring healthy sugar alternatives from home. Sugar can be a major culprit in the negative side effects of drinking coffee. The USNews suggests: cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla or nut extracts, unsweetened vanilla almond or soy milk, coconut milk, and coconut cream as healthy sugar alternatives.
  2. Choose the best time of day to drink coffee. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, which may be great for staying alert, but could lead to trouble sleeping or insomnia if you drink too much or drink it too late in the work day. Try only having coffee at the beginning of your work day or see if you can make it until lunch before having your first coffee of the work day.
  3. Eat before you drink coffee. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach may actually be lowering your energy levels for the day. As PubMed.gov explains: your body releases insulin in response to caffeine, which causes a drop in blood sugar and leaves you feeling tired. To counter this, you should eat a meal either during or after your coffee consumption.
  4. Determine a healthy caffeine intake for your body. For healthy adults with no medical issues, Caffeine Informer suggests “300mg-400mg of caffeine (1-2 cups of coffee) can be consumed daily without any adverse effects.” However, not everyone is the same and outside factors (pregnancy, for example) should be considered, be sure to consult with your doctor about your needs.
  5. Take your coffee break with your co-workers. According to a MIT study: “employees who take coffee breaks together demonstrate an overall improvement in their productivity. These breaks create a forum within which employees can share both personal and work-related experiences. Allowing employees to take these breaks together showed a lift in overall performance.”

Hopefully these tips can help you enjoy coffee while remaining health conscious. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

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Sleeping Habits for Better Job Performance

Sleeping Habits for Better Job Performance

by | Jun 27, 2017 | Arcata News, Ergonomics Solutions, Health, Human Resources

By Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Solutions Northwest, Inc. – Arcata, California

According to a recent Gallup Poll: Americans currently average 6.8 hours of sleep at night and 40% of Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Medical studies have related a lack of sleep to health problems and cognitive impairment. Therefore, experts typically recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep for adults.

Lack of sleep will undermine your quality of life as well as disrupt your work productivity.

5 signs that lack of sleep may be affecting your job performance:

1. Decreased communication.
2. Performance deteriorates.
3. Increased number of errors.
4. Poor cognitive assimilation and memory.
5. Inability to think flexibly and make adjustments.

Sleep deprivation in the work place will affect productivity levels and quality of work will be compromised. Furthermore, the likelihood of workplace accidents increases when workers are tired.

If you work an irregular shift, such as a rotating shift or night shift, you may need special guidance on how to establish healthy sleeping patterns. Try our recent article with Tips to Survive the Night Shift.

If you work normal hours, the Mayo Clinic recommends these 5 steps for a better night’s sleep:

1. Stick to a sleep schedule.
2. Pay attention to what you eat and drink.
3. Create a restful environment at home.
4. Limit daytime naps.
5. Include physical activity in your daily routine.

Hopefully some of these tips will help your sleeping habits and increase your work productivity. Remember to always listen to your body and be sure to consult with your doctor for more information. For more guidance on all things ergonomics, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.


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