One thing every desk jockey complains about at some point in time is discomfort in their arm (usually the mousing arm). A lot of people think this is caused by poor wrist position, and while that may be true to an extent, it’s only a single piece a larger puzzle. In this scenario, wrist and elbow problems often develop due to extended periods of wrist pronation (having the palm in the face-down position). Ideally we would counteract this by trying to leave our hand in a neutral position 90% of the time, but we don’t live in an ideal world. So what, you may ask, can be done to counteract this most insidious of ailments?
Most accounts I’ve read recommend stretching the wrists, but that has never offered more than mild improvement for me. No, what we need is some good ol’ fashioned weight-training. Like, REALLY old fashioned. Grab an asymmetrically-weighted handle (a hammer is a good example) and grip it so the weighted end is down. I like to think of it as the weight being as far from the index finger as possible. While standing, bend your elbow to 90 degrees with the wrist/palm perpendicular to the ground (like you’re about to play rock/paper/scissors). While keeping your wrist in a neutral position, rotate your palm up so the weighted implement is now parallel to the ground (or further, if you’re able). Hold this position for a few seconds before rotating your wrist back to neutral and doing more repetitions. A few sets of this could be just what you need to eliminate some of that nagging pain.
The nice thing about this exercise is that you can perform it almost anywhere using any implement that allows you to position the bulk of the object’s weight under/behind your pinky finger. I typically do it at the gym using any one of the twenty different bars that are available to attach to the cable machines. Looking around me right now, I see three viable options: A violin case, a bag of old Legos that are going on Ebay, and a lantern (actually none of these are very good). The point is that almost anyone can do this at any time and reap the benefits. JUST. DO IT!