Distant or Local?

Tingling or numbness in the hand or arm is a sign of nerve impingement, and finding a solution requires differentiating between a local origin, i. e. in the arm, wrist, or hand, or an impingement happening further away, perhaps in the neck or shoulder region.  

The patient’s presentation, orthopedic tests, and careful assessment of the neck and involved upper extremity will reveal the source of the the problem.

In some instances, there is more than one site of impingement, e.g., symptoms in the hand may be due to a “double crush”—-impingement in both the new and the wrist. 

Twist & Lift---A Bad Combination

  Lifting when the body is twisted to the side—either left or right—is a recipe for back pain, often in the thoracic region. 

An example is lifting a child into or out of a carseat. The lift + twist action often necessary to do this can torque the rib cage, stress and misalign vertebrae, & set off muscle spasms, 

As soon as the child is able to climb in and out of the carseat on their own, give your body a break and let them do it.

In the interim, take care to twist as little as possible when getting them in / out, and try to keep your body as close to them as possible while doing it. This creates shorter-lever stresses on the back and spine, helping to make it less likely that you will injure yourself.