There are a number of early symptoms that can act as warning signs indicating that you may be developing a cumulative trauma disorder in the elbow and wrist:

• Elbows:
  • tenderness at the elbow that gets worse with activity
  • sore forearm muscles

• Wrists:
  • wrist tenderness with increased activity
  • numbness or tingling in the fingers following activity
  • decreased grip strength
  • decreased ability to pinch and grasp
  • muscle weakness at the base of thumb

• Fingers:
  • difficulty straightening flexed fingers (will have to physically straighten fingers with other hand)
  • snapping sounds when fingers straighten
  • decreased gripping ability and strength

If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms:

• Improve your workplace by completing the Workstation Setup exercise.
• Learn about exercises you can perform to reduce strain on your wrists.