Healthy Writers: Avoiding Writing Injuries

Let’s face it, not even writers are exempt from injuries related to their craft. Most of us either have day jobs involving a computer and keyboard, are students, or are one way or another slouching in front of a screen like Roz from Monsters Inc.

The problem with that is not just the look, but the possible long-term issues with our posture, back, hands, and overall health. Now that’s a true horror story!

Never fear, writing knights, there’s still an ace up our sleeve, or, well, a few, really, and I’m here to share them with you so you can continue writing your merry days away without the physical pain. The mental pain of writing, well… That’s a post for another day.

Part I: The Cause

So… Why do we get injuries? Why do our wrist hurt like they’re being sawed off? Why do our shoulders and neck tense up like a tightrope under 3,000 pounds of strain? Why do we look more like a boiled noodle, all twisted rather than an uncooked one, all nice and straight? Let’s explore what the internet has to say about this.

I will put this excerpt from an article I read on why we slouch, and the technical language tickled my funny bone… Just check it out:

“A prolonged seated or standing position fatigues the muscles that stabilize the spine from the forces of gravity and body weight, just as a lifter or runner becomes fatigued when performing exercises at the gym. When the fatigued muscles no longer provide stability, the spine must rely on the passive structures of the musculoskeletal system for support. Without muscular support, the spine gradually loses its natural cervical and lumbar lordotic curves and becomes more kyphotic or slouched.”

 Dr. Mike Distler from Physio Logic

I don’t know if it’s because the coffee hadn’t kicked in yet or what, but the more I read this the more difficult it became for my brain to process. But I’ll translate for those who are a bit on the slow side like myself. Essentially, we slouch from overusing our spine muscles.

In this technological world of sitting down for hours at end while we ignore the constant cries from our smartwatches (or, you know, those who actually have one) to get up at least a moment every hour, our muscles have been faced with the challenge of seating arrangements that don’t quite agree with our physiology. Because of this, our normal curvature of the spine is being stressed, and, along with it, the muscles that help keep it aligned properly. Slouching serves a similar purpose as the sound of a screaming teapot that has reached boiling point—it allows to release some of the pressure.

What’s wrong with that, you might ask. Well, since this isn’t a once-in-a-while occurrence, that is, since we’re constantly slouching for what should be short-term relief, that temporary remedy is exhausted and there it queues the pain. Not only that, but if we continue to adopt these less-than-optimal postures, the body will remember these positions and have a, wait for it, muscle memory—an incorrect one, at that.

But slouching isn’t limited to the back, it extends to the neck, shoulders, arms, and wrists, even down the way to our back and hips. As Dr. Jeanne Morrison from Sigma Nursing says in ShareCare:

“Bad posture causes your shoulders to slump forward, which affects the position of your arms and hands. This can lead to awkward wrist position and increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Slouching also puts pressure on the nerves in your neck, which can lead to problems in your wrists and hands.”

Dr. Jeanne Morrison, Family Practitioner

Another explanation I liked about how posture affects more than one area simultaneously came from Neville from CopyWritingCourse.com:

Inside your body, you have a tissue called fascia that connects and covers all of your muscles. To put it simply, think of it like a saran wrap covering that connects all your muscles together. This saran wrap plays a huge role in your posture. Your biceps, abs, quads, calves—they’re all connected. And to keep your body balanced and functioning smoothly, the length and tension of this fascia connection needs to be maintained in proper proportions throughout your body. If the tension gets out of wack in one area, it affects the entire chain.”

Neville, CopyWritingCourse.com

So, in summary, we need to put an end to this ticking bomb of horrible health from exploding all over our muscular and skeletal system, or we won’t be able to enjoy writing as much in a near future. For this, let’s jump into the next section.

Part II: The Remedy

I tried looking for a noun more along the lines of prevention, but let’s just go for this. As most ailments, the effects of slouching can be avoided, or at the very least, reduced significantly.

I took a trip through the wide expanse of the internet for the sake of all of our backs and wrists and tried a few of these handy-dandy stretches and exercises to see which ones provided the most relief and helped. I admit I haven’t been the queen of consistency, but all the same these have proven helpful.

1. Rest

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? But this is actually harder than it looks, I’m afraid. We can’t just stop working if our job involves typing and clicking away at a desk—unless, of course, you really need to stop and ask for at least a day or two. But when that’s not an option, we need to take it upon ourselves to truly rest. When you get home, do not sit at your computer or laptop, leave your phones and tablets aside, simply let your system rest. I, for example, took to handwriting because it wasn’t the same movement and pressure as typing, and I didn’t need to be at a desk for it.

2. Cold therapy

Exactly what it sounds like. This little trick I don’t actually know where I got it from, but what I did was fill up a large bowl of water, then put some ice in it, just enough for the water to go from room temperature to cold, and I’d take turns dipping my hands to leave in there for a few seconds at a time. This is just a band aid solution, but if you are inflamed, this will at least help with that so you can actually try the stretches, because maybe even that’s too painful after a certain point.

3. Stand up

Another easy one, but we also tend to bypass it too much. There have been plenty of studies discussing the negatives of sitting for long periods of time, hurting our postures, backs, shoulders, tail bone, and overall health. You can set an alarm for every hour so you can take a couple minutes of standing and maybe even stretching a little. Regardless of whether you’re a student or a worker, you can simply stand up and stretch like a cat, reaching to the roof, maybe do some twists to both sides, then sit back down. Your health is more important than a couple side glances.

3. Wrist stretches

This is more of an active approach following standing up. There are many ways to stretch your wrists to prevent injury or even sooth an already achy one. This video by Adarsh Williams is one of my favorites to get all my wrist stretches done and, in fact, I found it when my wrists were suffering through a NaNoWriMo event. In my experience, it’s a good idea to these before and at the end of your writing if you’re going to be there a while. This can also apply to anyone who for whatever reason spends much of their day typing away or clicking at a computer.

4. Neck Stretches

Another area constantly affected by sitting at a computer most of our day is our neck. This can particularly turn into a bigger nuisance since ongoing stress and poor posture in the nech area tends to originate tension headaches. The stretches and exercises from the physical therapist Dan Giordano in Men’s Health are great to get some relief in tight necks. Something he mentions which can apply to any part of the body that is extra tense is to not push through the pain. I can understand this since I’ve fallen victim to this trap of “no pain no gain” mentality but it’s important to stop at the point when you feel pain, rest a moment, then do it again s l o w l y.

5. Back Stretches.

As the last of the biggest culprits of our pain or, rather, victim, the back. Whether it’s the upper or lower part, the back is what keeps the rest of the frame in place, and if it’s in any way bent and kept at an awkward and uncomfortable position, it’s bound to cause pain in the long run. Whether you’ve done yoga before or never before, this video by Yoga with Bird is great to tackle your overall back muscles and bring some relief, especially if you do these and any other stretches everyday.

Part III: The Maintenance

Let’s say you’ve already worked out your posture, done your stretches, and kept up with this everyday. Now it’s a matter of keeping the good habits going while keeping the bad ones at bay.

• Check your equipment No amount of stretching and being aware of our posture will help if our work setup perpetuates incorrect sitting and positioning of our hands, arms, feet, et al. Of course, this is not an easy feat, especially on the economical side, but making little changes one at a time can start bringing more relief sooner than later. For example, maybe you can’t get that standing desk you’ve been eyeing for the longest time, but maybe you can change your keyboard and mouse for ergonomic options. Then, maybe you got a bonus and you can change the chair that’s been holding on to dear life longer than it was intended to, and so on.
• Get moving This one never gets old, and for good reason. Call me crazy, but I highly doubt that as living beings we weren’t meant to be sitting in front of plastic and light all day long. We have bodies designed to move, jump, lift our hands, what have you, all to the best of our abilities, of course, but the point remains: we were made for movement, not inertia. So, take that walk, even if it’s around your house of building complex, take your pet as a bonus, maybe swim if you have a pool accessible, put on a 10-minute workout video or dancing, whatever to get you moving. And, let’s face it, we all have at least 10 minutes, and don’t you dare tell me no.
• Consult a health professional Be it your general health practitioner, a physical therapist, or a chiropractor, if you feel something is just beyond the scope of home remedies and exercises, perhaps it’s time to get the assistance of a professional to point us in the right direction. This is especially important to do earlier than later to prevent anything from becoming more severe or even chronic. Often times, unless you have a diagnosed condition, lifestyle changes and a few adjustments with the help of a professional are more than enough to correct any affliction.

Now that you have this overview, look into your life and habits, what can you do now to start improving your posture? It’s important to start sooner than later, especially if you’re in a type of lifestyle that keeps you seated for a long time. Share your own tips if you have them, maybe you can help someone else! As always, keep writing ♥