Why Was the Fish a Slow Typer?

He had CARP-al tunnel!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is defined as a condition affecting the median nerve that can cause hand pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the thumb, index, middle, ring fingers.

The “tunnel” in carpal tunnel isn’t really a tunnel at all - it’s actually a band of ligaments that runs along the inside of the palm. The median nerve runs inside this “tunnel” of ligaments. When the ligaments become irritated, they can swell, causing the “tunnel” to tighten, which in turn presses on the median nerve. This typically also restricts movement and cuts off the median nerve’s ability to send information to the hand! (As a side note, the “carpal” has nothing to do with carp, the fish - “carpals” are the bones in your hand!)

Repetitive motions such as typing, writing, texting, and more can irritate the ligaments causing the tightening of the “tunnel”.

CTS, like most overuse and repetitive motion injuries, is avoidable if you take care of your hands and wrists! Avoid prolonged, extreme wrist motion in either direction. If your job requires lots of typing or writing, be sure to take breaks to stretch your hands, wrists, and forearm muscles. Manual therapy or massage of the hand can help if stretching isn’t fixing the issue.