Vim & Vigor - Summer 2010 - North Mississippi - (Page 37)
GETTING A
HANDLE ON THINGS
FINDING RELIEF
Keep Your Grip
While much is unknoWn about how or why some people suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, carla Weeden, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist with north mississippi medical center’s outpatient Rehabilitation center in Tupelo, offers these tips for reducing your risk: • Think before you grip. Be mindful of activities that require constant gripping. For instance, “gardening tasks like pulling weeds can strain hand muscles,” Weeden says. • Go easy on your hands. “Banging something hard with the palm of your hand repeatedly is something to avoid,” she says. “it can aggravate the hand muscles.” • Reduce bad vibrations. “motorcyclists often develop carpal tunnel as a result of the heavy vibrations experienced when gripping the handlebars of a motorcycle,” Weeden says. “That’s also something to consider when using a push lawn mower.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY PHOTOLIBRARY
NMMC’s Hand Clinic in Tupelo offers expertise in therapy and nonsurgical treatment of the elbow, wrist and hand. Other NMMC facilities also offer rehabilitation services. To learn more, visit www.nmhs.net/hand_clinic. php or call 800-THE DESK (800-843-3375).
Try Our Rehab Services
ONLINE
Vim
Vigor · SU MM ER 201 0
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