6 Tips to Relieve Computer Elbow Pain from Typing at Work

Are you suffering from computer elbow? This common painful condition affects many office workers who spend hours typing at their desk. The discomfort typically appears in the outer part of your elbow and can extend into your forearm, making simple activities like lifting a coffee cup challenging.

A related issue is mouse elbow, which comes from repetitive use of a computer mouse and creates similar symptoms. Both conditions can significantly impact your work and daily life.

With Canadians spending an average of 3.5 hours online daily (and nearly 5 hours for those aged 18-34), it's no wonder these problems are becoming more common.

What Causes Computer Elbow?

Computer elbow (also known as tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis) is essentially tendon inflammation that develops from repeated motions that put strain on your elbow joint. Whether you're swinging a tennis racquet or typing at your keyboard, the underlying issue is the same – overused tendons that become irritated and painful.

When you perform the same movements repeatedly without giving your body enough time to rest and heal, your forearm muscles and tendons become strained. This strain leads to micro-tears in the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the bony part of your outer elbow.

Key Signs You Might Have Computer Elbow

When your computer elbow flares up, you might experience:

• Pain and tenderness in your forearm and elbow

• Slight swelling around the elbow joint

• Weakness when trying to grip objects like a doorknob or cup

This condition can develop from several factors:

• Repetitive computer work

• Poor posture while typing

• Extended periods of elbow bending

• Tension in forearm muscles

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Different Kind of Elbow Pain

If instead of pain you're experiencing numbness or tingling in your fingers (particularly the ring and pinky fingers), you might be dealing with cubital tunnel syndrome.

This happens when your ulnar nerve, which runs along the outside of your elbow joint, gets compressed when you bend your elbow for long periods. Since this nerve controls feeling and movement in your hands, compression can lead to loss of sensation in your fingers.

Unlike cubital tunnel syndrome which affects the ulnar nerve, carpal tunnel syndrome involves the median nerve and primarily causes pain and numbness in the wrist and hand.

Common causes of cubital tunnel syndrome include:

• Leaning on your elbow for long periods

• Keeping your elbow bent while sleeping

• Hitting your "funny bone" (which is actually your ulnar nerve)

Note: While the tips below can help manage your symptoms, it's important to see a doctor if your elbow pain persists or worsens. They may recommend treatment options like anti-inflammatory tablets, physical therapy, or in rare cases, surgery.

Six Ways to Relieve Elbow Pain at Work

1. Give Your Arms Rest

Take regular breaks from typing to give your tendons time to heal. Taking a 5-minute break every 30 minutes of typing can make a significant difference. Whenever possible, keep your arms straight to reduce stress on your elbows.

You might also consider using speech-to-text software for some tasks to reduce typing. Resting doesn't mean you can't work – it just means varying your activities to avoid the repetitive strain that's causing your pain.

2. Apply Temperature Treatments

For cold therapy, apply an ice pack to reduce inflammation and swelling. A bag of frozen peas works well as it conforms to your elbow - apply for 15-20 minutes at a time. For heat therapy, use a warm compress to improve blood flow to the affected area, which helps the healing process.

A heating pad or warm towel can provide relief to tight muscles. Alternating between heat and cold can be particularly effective. Just be careful not to make the area completely numb – you want to relieve pain, not lose sensation.

3. Do Simple Desk Stretches

Gentle stretching can help loosen tight forearm muscles and tendons. Try these easy desk stretches, holding each for 10 seconds.

4. Improve Your Sitting Position

Poor posture is a major contributor to computer elbow. Sitting properly can dramatically reduce strain on your upper body, including your elbows, neck, and shoulders.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends keeping your elbows at a 90-120 degree angle while typing. Position your keyboard so your wrists remain straight, allowing for neutral alignment through your forearms. Keep your shoulders relaxed, not hunched or tensed, to reduce strain that can travel down to your elbows.

Having your computer screen at eye level prevents neck strain, which can create a cascade of muscular tension down to your arms.

A good sitting position creates a chain reaction of proper alignment that takes stress off your elbows and reduces the possibility of pain while typing.

5. Try Self-Massage Techniques

Even a few minutes of targeted self-massage can help release tension in your forearm muscles. Try this simple duck grip massage technique: Use your opposite hand to grasp the affected forearm, squeezing gently with your thumb on one side and fingers on the other. Move up and down the forearm with gentle pressure, focusing on any tender spots you find.

While this might be challenging if you're trying to massage your dominant arm with your non-dominant hand, even a simple massage can provide relief.

Self-massage works by increasing blood flow to the affected area, which aids the healing process. For more advanced massage techniques focused on trigger points, check out this guide.

6. Prevent Future Flare-Ups

As the saying goes, prevention is often easier than treatment. To keep your computer elbow from recurring, maintain a neutral wrist position by keeping your fingers in line with your wrists and forearms.

Using a gel wrist pad can help keep your wrists from tipping upward while typing. Organize your workspace so frequently used items stay within easy reach to avoid repetitive stretching that can strain your tendons.

Consider using a narrow keyboard, as a compact design reduces the need to reach for keys, keeping your arms and shoulders in a more natural position. Strengthen your forearm muscles with simple exercises using light weights or resistance bands to build resilience against tendon problems.

Try wrist curls and reverse wrist curls with a lightweight. When moving, choose smooth movements over jerky ones - abrupt, forceful movements put more strain on tendons than smooth, controlled ones.

For more exercises that can help strengthen your arms and improve your range of motion, check out these recommendations.

Create a Healthier Workspace for All-Around Comfort

Computer elbow is just one of many discomforts that can affect you during computer work. Whether you're working with back pain, have sore feet from standing at your desk, or looking to improve circulation from your desk, Effydesk is here to help.

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To learn more about Effydesk's products and services, check out our FAQ page or browse the blog archive for other helpful articles on creating a healthier workspace.