When the body is poorly positioned, muscles are not at their optimal length and thus are weaker and must work harder. Muscles that are forced to work near their maximum due to non-neutral postures are more prone to fatigue and injury. Workers should look for ways to raise or lower their work to a height between waist and shoulder level in order to avoid awkward postures. If this is not possible, workers can try taking short, frequent breaks.

As alluded to above muscles are most efficient when at their optimal length which usually corresponds to a neutral or functional joint position. The neutral or functional wrist position may be considered to be a straight line from the forearm to hand, or the “handshake” position (a more detailed explanation is given under the section “Hand Tools”).

Working with the wrist bent places stress on the tendons as they pass through the carpal tunnel. Think of a rope rubbing back and forth over a rock, it becomes hot and eventually frayed. Tendons react similarly, becoming inflamed, which increases pressure in the carpal tunnel. Over time the combination of non-neutral wrist posture and repetitive movements can lead to injuries anywhere from the hand to the elbow.

Finally, wrist muscles are not as efficient when they are bent and a larger effort is needed to generate a similar amount of force. This also contributes to fatigue and risk of injury.