Jennifer Valle of Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas says hours behind the wheel in the car can cause carpal tunnel -- a condition where swollen tendons put pressure on the median nerve causing pain and numbness.

"Repeated, prolonged gripping of anything -- whether it's a steering wheel or a tool -- can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome," Valle said in a statement.

She advises switching the driving hand -- periodically using the left, then the right and keeping the hand in line with the elbow and the wrist straight.

"If you imagine the steering wheel as a clock, the best position to put your wrist in would actually be at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock," Valle says.

Wrist splints -- available at pharmacies -- can help while driving, she says, because the splint will force the wrist to stay in a straight position.