When you work in dentistry, it's inevitable that you're going to have your fair share of hand file fatigue. Long days of technical procedures, re-treatment plans, or performing repetitive movements can leave you with inflammation and pain in your hands or forearms. And over time, this pain can become unbearable. It's important to prevent this from occurring in order to provide excellent patient care and take proper care of yourself.  Unfortunately, there is no magic pill to help with this (yet) but if you follow these tips regularly you should be able to minimize it.

Take Frequent Stretching Breaks

Stretching is your best friend when it comes to hand file fatigue. Not only does it alleviate pain, but the added circulation benefits the entire body. Try to take a break at least every 30 to 60 minutes to stretch your hands and forearms. Here are some stretches that will help you get rid of that deep-rooted tension in your forearms, wrists, and hands.

Fist Clench

Hold your hands in front of you with the knuckles facing up. Make a tight fist and hold for 5 seconds. Then relax your hand completely, open it up and stretch it out as much as you can. Do 2 sets of 10 reps to start off, performing this every day if possible on both of your hands.

Finger Lifts

Finger lifts are a great way to focus on your hand and wrist flexors. From a standing or sitting position, flex the muscles in your hands and wrists as hard as you can for 5 seconds at a time, then release. You should feel the tension in between each of your fingers and the top of your palms. Try doing 3 sets of  10 reps for this as well, if possible.

Thumb Circles

Since so much of our hand and wrist actions involve the thumb, it's important to keep this digit flexible. Place your right thumb in your left palm with your fingers wrapped around it. Rotate your thumb clockwise for 5 seconds and then switch to counterclockwise for another 5 seconds before switching hands. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps in each direction. In addition to these exercises, there are also some other methods you can try that will help with the pain from hand file fatigue:
  • Take a hot shower or use a heating pad before and after work.
  • Apply some hand cream or lotion to help with the pain from dryness or cracking of your skin.
  • Massage the muscle tissue in your forearms as well as your hands to keep blood flowing throughout them.
  • Handle duties for a shorter period of time each day, rather than overworking yourself.

SS White: Providing Dentists With The Tools They Need

At SS White Dental, we want to be your number one choice when it comes to dental and laboratory equipment. Contact us with any questions or concerns about hand file fatigue and check out our full line of equipment to make performing procedures more comfortable for you—and your patients.