This is the time of the year when your house transforms into Santa’s workshop. There is wrapping paper and ribbons everywhere while you wrap all the presents for family and friends in neat packages. A beautifully wrapped holiday gift will surely make loved ones happy, but keep in mind that sharp scissors may cause a hand injury, and the repetitive motions can be rough on your hands causing pain, numbness, and tingling. Sufferers of such hand problems such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Arthritis should be especially careful while wrapping gifts. Here at the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas, we have five tips to keep your hands safe while completing your holiday gift wrapping duty.
1. Take Breaks
This can never be emphasized too much. Any time you’re engaging in an activity that involves repetitive hand motions, take breaks to avoid overusing your hands. Get up every hour to take a 10-minute break, and stretch and move your hands. During this time, you can take the dog out or go pick up the mail- anything that helps you take a break from the repetitive motions.
2. Keep a Good Position
Keep a good position while sitting on a chair or standing with your back straight and your hands comfortably on the table. Pay attention to the distance as well, don’t be too close or too far from the gift you’re wrapping to avoid stressing your body unnecessarily.
3. Get Easy Wrapping Materials
If you know that repetitive hand motions cause you hand pain, you may want to consider using gift bags and boxes instead of wrapping paper. They still make beautiful presents, and it can save you from the hand pain caused by the repetitive motions. Try decorating the gift bag or box with beautiful stickers and ribbons!
4. Be Careful with the Scissors
Make sure that the scissors you’re using fit your hand. If they’re too big or too small, they may easily slip in your hand, and in the worst case, cause a hand injury. Also, never run with the scissors in your hand, or point at another person with them.
5. Clean Up After You’re Done
You obviously want to hide the presents from your loved ones, so do that as soon as you’re done wrapping! Also, remember to clean up the wrapping materials you used. A piece of wrapping paper on the floor may be slippery if you step on it. Furthermore, make sure to store the sharp scissors out of the reach of children.
Follow these tips to keep your and your family’s hands safe while wrapping gifts this holiday season. If you experience hand pain, numbness or tingling while wrapping gifts or if you have a hand injury, make an appointment with us today. The Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas wish you happy and safe holiday preparations!
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