I've started getting serious pain in my hands. The left hand seems to be worse than the right, likely due to all the stress on my fingers from my abnormal typing style. (stretching the pinkie to hit shift, alt, ctrl, etc. I've typed like this for years, I don't have the coordination to handle standard typing methods. In contrast, my right hand only handles about a third of the main keys and the 10-key when needed) I've been on computers basically my entire life, so consciously trying to alter the way I type ultimately results in about two minutes of doing things differently, then instinctively switching back to the way I've always done things.

My problem is, ergonomically speaking, there's not much I can do about it. Furniture isn't exactly something in the budget at work, and I'm not in the office enough to justify spending money on my comfort. At home, I have a precarious PC setup that's been forced on me by the fact that I live in my father's office. (the keyboard's on my lap right now) An ergonomic keyboard is out of the question due to said typing style, I'd never get used to it and it would drive me insane. I basically just have to hold on until June, when I'm moving out and can get a proper desk and chair going at home.

But I'd much rather not deal with this pain for the next 3 1/2 months if I don't have to. Seeing a doctor can't happen, I'm uninsured and I need to save my money.

When I'm not on a computer, I have my left hand in a wrist brace that alleviates some of the pain, but it doesn't help when I'm on the computer. (It actually hurts more to try to type with the brace on)

Are there any kind of stretching exercises or light weight training I can do to strengthen the wrist and relieve some of this pain? I've never been one to pay much attention to my body, I've never really had a reason to. But this is getting rather chronic and rather annoying, so I'm looking for some kind of way to calm it down. I have 5-25 lb barbells and wrist/ankle weights here at the house that I could use, I just don't know where to start.

Have you ever used those split keyboards? My friend adjusted to one and it's uncomfortable almost to the point of her wrists hurting when she tries to switch back to old regular ones. Just a thought.

I've thought about it. I used them periodically at my last job when they were the only thing around. I didn't care for them, but if it comes to it, I'll give one a shot.

You can buy some hand/wrist braces at walgreens/walmart/etc. that keep the hand and wrist in a position that lets the median nerve

The best thing you can do for is when you go to sleep you make sure somehow your hands stop open handed and dont ball up into fists and your wrist straight so the media nerve becomes uncompressed. Like I said braces are the best for this, or maybe some sort of homemade splint or something.

A week with one of those braces my hands were completely fine.

try to get something that looks like this if you can.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...nnel_splint.jpg

When I had a similar pain I used an ace bandage and wrapped my wrist tight with one and my elbow area with another while I slept. Basically, wrap it so you can't bend either. It helped a whole hell of a lot. I might have had something different than you, but it's worth a try.

Yeah, I've tried them and was just like " " but she said once she got used to it, it felt a lot better on her wrists.

man I've had the same problem for YEARS from the same thing using my pinkie (or so im assuming). I've spents 100's of dollars and wasted many many hrs on various docs for them all to say the same thing.....i dunno. So I wear a brace (walmart, anywhere) that not only restricts up/down movement but also side to side. the brace I have is a mueller deluxe. be sure not to get something cheap as u could be wearing it for hrs, TRUST me. in fact go see a doc and your insurance my cover it.

the pain i get feels literally like someone is taking a screwdriver to pry the bones outta my hand. my wrists hurt and i can roll pop em all the time and are steadilty getting worse, even my right. I prob should go back to the doc, but I've pretty much given up all faith in those qwacks.

ok, now that i fully read your message, everything I've said is useless....damn my impatience. I had some papers on excersises, but threw them out recently. google is your best option, but good luck cause the only true way to cure is surgery or brace.

http://www.datahand.com/

Sorry to not be so useful, but this thing looks awesome and I'd love to have one to play with.