Columnar stagger is exactly the same as ortho, and traditional stagger splits are nearly as bad as traditional stagger on a single board setup.

The be-all, end-all of this discussion is whether you keep your wrists straight, as referenced from your forearms.
How you choose to do that is up to you.

Imagine having a piece of diamond-coated piano wire running through a wooden hoop.
As long as you pull the wire straight, nothing happens to the wood.
If you pull one end, or the other, out of alignment, the wire starts sawing at the wood.

That is a very good simulacrum of your carpal tunnels.
As long as there is minimal contact between your tendons, and the surrounding bones, you are good.
The tendons contact the bone, get irritated, then inflamed, and begin pushing against the nerves, which is what causes the intense pain.

Your wrist angle, compared to the board itself, is not the important part of this issue.
It’s your wrist angle, compared to your forearm that causes issues.

Straighten that out in whatever manner works best for you.