Wrist pain can be surprisingly disruptive.
Whether you are typing at a computer, using a mouse, working from a laptop or regularly checking a phone or tablet, discomfort around the wrist can quickly make everyday tasks more difficult.
For many office workers, the problem is not necessarily one major injury. Instead, wrist pain may gradually develop because of the amount of time we spend performing similar movements throughout the working day.
Typing emails, scrolling through documents, using a mouse, holding a mobile phone and working from a laptop can all require relatively small movements. However, when these movements are repeated hundreds or thousands of times each day, particularly when combined with poor positioning or limited opportunities for recovery, they can begin to contribute to discomfort.
The important thing is not to simply accept wrist pain as part of working at a computer.
Understanding what may be contributing to the problem, making some simple changes to your workstation and modifying how you use electronic devices can often make a significant difference.
Why might your wrist hurt at work?
There are many potential causes of wrist pain, ranging from relatively minor irritation through to conditions that require professional assessment. Persistent pain, significant swelling, weakness, altered sensation or pain following an injury should always be appropriately assessed.
However, for people spending much of their working day using computers and electronic devices, there are several common contributing factors.
Repetitive movements
One of the most obvious factors is repetition.
Think about how many times you move your fingers, wrist and hand during a normal working day.
Typing involves thousands of individual finger movements. Using a mouse requires repeated small wrist and hand movements. Smartphones add even more scrolling, tapping and gripping into the day.
None of these movements are necessarily harmful on their own.
The difficulty can arise when the same tissues are repeatedly exposed to similar loads without sufficient variation or recovery.
Muscles and tendons around the wrist and forearm help control movements of the hand and fingers. When these structures are repeatedly loaded, particularly if your overall workload suddenly increases, they can become irritated.
This is why wrist discomfort sometimes appears during particularly busy periods at work, when somebody changes role, starts using a computer more frequently or spends additional time working from home.
The problem is therefore not simply “using a computer”. It is often the combination of repetition, workload, positioning and insufficient recovery.
Poor wrist and workstation positioning
How your workstation is arranged can influence the amount of stress placed through your wrists and forearms.
Ideally, your wrists should generally remain in a comfortable, relatively neutral position when typing or using a mouse.
Problems can occur when the wrist is constantly bent upwards, downwards or sideways.
For example, if your keyboard is positioned too high, you may spend much of the day typing with your wrists extended upwards. Similarly, a mouse positioned too far away may encourage you to repeatedly reach through your shoulder and arm while placing additional strain through the wrist.
Laptop working can create another challenge.
The keyboard and screen are connected, meaning it is difficult to position both optimally at the same time. Raising the laptop screen to a comfortable viewing height can leave the keyboard too high, while keeping the keyboard at a comfortable height often means looking down towards the screen.
This does not mean laptops should be avoided, but if you regularly work from one for several hours, adding an external keyboard and mouse can provide significantly more flexibility when setting up your workstation.
Too much time in one position
When we think about workplace discomfort, we often focus entirely on posture.
However, even a seemingly perfect posture can become uncomfortable if it is maintained for several hours.
The same principle applies to the wrist.
Keeping your hand resting on a mouse, gripping your phone or holding your wrist in a fixed typing position can gradually increase discomfort.
Movement variability is important.
Your body is designed to move between different positions rather than remaining completely static throughout the day. Changing tasks, moving your hands away from the keyboard, standing up or simply allowing your arms to relax can provide short periods of recovery.
For many people, improving wrist comfort is therefore less about finding one “perfect” working position and more about regularly changing position.
Three ways to manage wrist pain at work
If your wrist has started becoming uncomfortable during the working day, there are several simple changes worth considering.
Review your workstation
Start with the equipment you use most frequently.
Your keyboard and mouse should ideally be positioned close enough that you can use them without repeatedly reaching forwards. Your elbows should remain comfortably by your sides rather than constantly reaching towards the desk.
Try to keep the wrist relatively straight rather than continuously bent backwards while typing.
Your mouse is particularly important.
If the mouse is positioned too far away, you may spend hours reaching through your shoulder while repeatedly moving your wrist. Bringing it closer to the keyboard can often immediately improve your working position.
Also consider whether your desk and chair heights are appropriate.
A workstation is a system. Changing one component can influence another, which is why simply purchasing a different keyboard or mouse does not always solve the underlying problem.
For employees who regularly use display screen equipment, a suitable DSE assessment can help identify potential problems within the overall workstation rather than focusing on one piece of equipment in isolation.
Corporate Personal Wellbeing’s remote Display Screen Equipment assessments can support employees in reviewing their workstation and identifying practical adjustments that may help improve comfort throughout the working day.
Take regular movement breaks
You do not necessarily need long breaks away from work.
Short, frequent movement opportunities can be particularly useful.
After finishing an email, completing a document or finishing a meeting, take a few seconds to move your hands and wrists.
You might:
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Open and close your hands several times.
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Gently move the wrists forwards and backwards.
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Rotate your forearms so your palms face upwards and downwards.
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Relax your hands completely rather than keeping them positioned over the keyboard.
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Stand up and move away from the desk when practical.
These small breaks can also provide movement for your shoulders, neck and back, making them useful for much more than wrist discomfort.
Another useful strategy is changing how you complete certain tasks.
Could you make a telephone call instead of typing a long email?
Could you use a headset rather than holding your phone?
Could you alternate between mouse and keyboard shortcuts?
Introducing variation reduces the amount of time spent repeatedly performing exactly the same movements.
Look beyond the wrist
It is easy to focus entirely on the painful area, but the wrist works as part of a much larger movement system.
Your hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder all contribute to how you interact with a keyboard, mouse or mobile device.
Strength and capacity within the forearm can therefore be important.
Depending on the cause of your symptoms, gradually strengthening the wrist and forearm muscles may help improve their ability to tolerate the demands placed on them throughout the working day.
This might include controlled wrist flexion and extension exercises, gripping exercises or exercises targeting the muscles responsible for rotating the forearm.
However, exercise should be appropriate for the individual.
If an exercise significantly increases symptoms, or wrist pain has persisted despite making workplace adjustments, it may be more appropriate to seek assessment from a physiotherapist or other suitably qualified healthcare professional.
An assessment can help determine whether symptoms are related to muscular or tendon irritation, joint problems, nerve involvement or another potential cause.
Don’t forget about your phone
Computer work tends to receive most of the attention when discussing workplace ergonomics, but smartphones and tablets are now a significant part of many working days.
People may spend hours holding a phone, scrolling using the same thumb or typing messages with their wrists held in awkward positions.
Try placing your phone down when reading longer documents rather than continuously gripping it.
Use both hands when appropriate, alternate which hand you use and consider voice-to-text functions for longer messages.
If you regularly use a tablet for work, a stand and external keyboard may also provide a more comfortable setup for longer tasks.
Small changes matter when they are repeated every day.
When should wrist pain be assessed?
Occasional mild discomfort that resolves quickly may simply require some changes in workload, movement or workstation setup.
Persistent or worsening symptoms should not be ignored.
Consider seeking professional assessment if you experience persistent pain, significant swelling, reduced grip strength, difficulty moving the wrist, pins and needles, numbness or symptoms that regularly wake you during the night.
You should also seek assessment following a significant fall, direct impact or other injury to the wrist.
Early assessment can help identify the source of the problem and provide an appropriate management plan before symptoms begin significantly affecting work, exercise or everyday activities.
Making your working day more wrist-friendly
Electronic devices have become an unavoidable part of modern working life.
The aim is therefore not to avoid computers, phones and tablets altogether. Instead, it is about making sure your body has enough movement, variation and physical capacity to manage the demands you place on it.
If you regularly experience wrist pain at work, start with three simple areas.
Review your workstation and the position of your keyboard and mouse.
Introduce regular movement and variation throughout your working day.
Finally, consider whether your wrist and forearm have the strength and capacity required for the amount of repetitive activity you perform.
Small adjustments made consistently can often be much more effective than waiting until discomfort becomes severe enough to interfere with your normal working day.
Your workstation should support the work you need to do, but your working habits matter just as much. Moving regularly, varying tasks and responding to symptoms early can help keep your wrists comfortable while allowing you to continue using the technology modern workplaces depend upon.