Ergonomic Advice

Carpal Tunnel and You: What Gamers Need to Know
Hey, gamers! Press pause for a second. We need to have a talk about something that none of us really want to talk about: Carpal tunnel syndrome.
That’s right. The wrist thing.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) all comes down to one nerve in your wrist -- the median nerve, which controls movement and feeling in your thumb and movement in every finger except your pinky. The median nerve runs the full length of the arm, but the part where it passes through the wrist is called the carpal tunnel. When you make repetitive motions with your fingers and wrist, the carpal tunnel can swell.
That’s bad.
There’s a lot of buzz around carpal tunnel, especially for gamers, creative types, and workaholics who spend their workdays behind a computer desk studying spreadsheets. (Are our lives really so different?)
Now that you know what carpal tunnel is, here’s a quick walkthrough to help you prevent it.
Study the Art of the Grip
We’ve all been there: You’re deadlocked in a showdown with a dragon in the middle of a six-hour Skyrim session and you haven’t even touched your drink. It happens. We all get sucked in, especially if it’s a good game and we’re having a good time.
Between those action-packed moments, though, when the loading screen pops up or a cinematic takes control out of your hands, take a moment to study the art of the grip. Ease up on the controls a moment, relax your fingers, and do a few wrist exercises.
Remember, swelling in the carpal tunnel is a primary cause for CTS, so do yourself a favor and give your hands and wrists a chance to relax for a minute or two. Thumb through the menu, sort your inventory, or -- if you’re