At Risk

• People who work in certain types of factories, such as meat packing, sewing and hardware assembly are particularly prone to carpal tunnel syndrome, as are those who type for long periods of time. You can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome by maintaining good wrist positioning, resting frequently and changing activities.
  
  

Positioning

• Carpal tunnel syndrome that results from excessive typing can be prevented with proper wrist positioning. Keeping your wrists elevated, rather than resting them on your desk or keyboard, prevents the weight of your hands from causing compression in the carpal tunnel. Keeping your wrists as straight as possible, with no angle, allows for the most freedom of movement within the carpal tunnel. This can help to prevent irritation within the carpal tunnel that may arise from the frequent movement and rubbing of the tendons.
  
  

Rest

• Resting your hands and wrists frequently helps to prevent the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. When you take a break from an activity that irritates the carpal tunnel, it gives your wrist a chance to recover. A lack of rest can result in increasing irritation of the inside of the carpal tunnel, which can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
  
  

Changing Activitites

• Repeating the same activity over and over is the source of carpal tunnel symptoms. Each activity that requires a repetitive movement of the wrist causes stress in a different area. Periodically changing the activities you perform will result in less stress concentrated in one particular area, and therefore less overall irritation.