BayStatePT_Relieving Your Shoulder, Elbow, & Wrist Pain

People with desk jobs frequently have pain through the wrist and hand, and friends and coworkers are quick to jump inand tell them theyhavecarpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).CTS isacompressionof themedian nerveas itenters thewrist,near thepalm.The tunnel is formed by your wrist bones (carpal bones) and a strong ligament on top. CTS has a specific pattern of pain and numbness through the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. Usually people do not have pain in the small finger or back of their hand. It can be caused by poor wrist positioning, or by intrinsic factors that increasepressure through thecarpal tunnel (typically pregnancy or diabetes). Pain that involves the whole hand or any part of the forearm may not be carpal tunnel and needs further assessmenttodetermine ifCTSmaybecombinedwith anothercondition thatcancausepain, like tendinitisor compression of a different nerve in your arm. Typing with good alignment and an ergonomic workstation should not cause CTS. Workstations should be set up so you can type without bending or resting your wrist. You also want to make sure you are not resting your elbows on your work surface, as this can also cause pain and numbness (through the small finger). You should avoid repetitive gripping exercises and prolonged bending of your wrist in either direction, as these can make the pain and numbness worse. You may also benefit from a wrist brace or orthotic, especially at nighttime, when a flexed wrist position is typical and can make your symptoms worse and even prevent you from sleeping. The brace should hold your wrist straight in order to keep the tunnel open while you sleep. Learn More About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome byKimWitkowski,OTR/LatBSPTBrocktonPealSt.

Healthy Recipe Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies INGREDIENTS

• 1/8 tsp salt • 2 tsp Vietnamese Cinnamon (5% Oil) • 1/4 tsp Frontier allspice • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips • 1/2 cup dried cranberries and cherries

• 2 tsp vanilla extract • 3 tbsp maple syrup • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats • 1/2 cup oat flour, ground

• 1 ripe banana, mashed • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree • 2 large eggs • 1/2 cup peanut butter • 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

• 1/2 cup almond meal • 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. In a mixing bowl stir together mashed banana, pumpkin, eggs, peanut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup until well combined. Add in oats, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, Vietnamese cinnamon, allspice, chocolate chips and dried fruit; stir to combine. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to harden. Drop cookies by spoonfuls on prepared baking sheet.They won’t expand much, so feel free to press them down slightly, and make them as uniform as possible to ensure even baking. Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly browned.

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