Long commutes may cause carpal tunnel

DALLAS, July 17 (UPI) -- A long daily commute can cause more than stress and cost more than big bucks for gas -- a U.S. hand therapist says it can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

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.