Our hands perform several functions and play a huge role in our daily lives and the workplace. That’s why it’s necessary to take care of them and prevent hand injuries. Overusing the hand can cause injury, the most common being a hand ligament injury.
Hand Ligament Injury And Its Causes
Our hands are constructed of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Ligaments are the strong, supportive tissue (made of collagen fibers) that connects bones to bones. A hand ligament injury is when the muscles of these tissues are stretched or torn. A ligament injury can prevent you from doing most of your work, can be painful, and takes a lot of time to heal.
There are two common types of hand ligament surgery: strain and sprains. Both can occur when employees use their hands excessively. Ligament injury is common for people who use their hands physically, but it can also affect people who spend their day typing too much without taking the right safety precautions. Continuous hand usage is the major contributing factor to hand muscle damage.
Preventing Hand Ligament Injury As An Employee
As everyone knows, prevention is better than cure. Preventing hand injury as an employee should be your primary responsibility. To avoid damage to your useful hands, take care of these simple things:
- Posture: The most important thing to prevent hand injury is maintaining good posture and form. Support your wrist and keep it straight while doing tasks like typing. Flexing your wrists in between work is also important.
- Exercise: Building the strength of your hand can help prevent damage. Stretching the palm and fingers in a circular motion increases flexibility and strength. Focus on the exercise that increases the strength of the hand.
- Protective Gear: Wearing protective gloves made specially for typing can help reduce discomfort by lessening the pressure of repetitive movements of the wrist.
- Doctor Advice: If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort in your hand, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help you prevent the injury.
- Awareness: If you are experiencing regular hand strain, talk to your employer about it. Your employer may help you adjust the task.
Preventing Hand Ligament Injury As A Employer
As an employer, you should prioritize maintaining workers’ health and their capability to work. Work environments, whether office or field jobs, require care for employees’ health. The following points can help you prevent hand strain:
- Training: Training sessions on hand safety for the employees can help prevent hand damage.
- Provide Protective Equipment: Wearing protective equipment like gloves or wrist support can prevent hand ligament injury.
- Economic Workplace & Tools: Ensure a comfortable workstation with desks, chairs, lighting, and a good setup of electronic devices. Proving economically designed tools can prevent hand injury.
- Promote Small Breaks: Making employees work restlessly can be harmful to their health. Provide a few sessions of small breaks to allow them to rest their hands and keep their minds focused.
- Policies: Encourage safety policies for the workers and distinguish the right person for the tasks to prevent hand injury.
Symptoms Of Hand Ligament Injury
Examining the symptoms and seeking medical care is essential in the case of a hand ligament injury. Untreated injury can lead to joint instability, chronic pain, and continuous inflammation. The common symptoms can include the following:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Deformity
- Reduced Stability
Symptoms may vary depending on the situation of the injury or other causes.
Treatment Of Hand Ligament Injury
If you notice swelling or pain in your hand, consult your doctor to determine the root cause. Treatment depends on the severity of the injury, and it is necessary to follow the doctor’s advice. Treatment options can be physiotherapy, injections, medication, and surgery.
The Bottom Line
If taken care of, hand ligament injury at work can easily be prevented. Good posture and exercise can be really helpful. Using a grip strength exerciser correctly can work wonders for people with damaged hand muscles or for those who want to prevent them. It helps stimulate and strengthen the finger, palm, wrist, and forearm muscles. Using it regularly for 10 minutes can provide incredible hand strength. If you are a beginner, start with 20 seconds, then increase the time as the days pass.
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