Carpal tunnel exercises relieve the wrist pain and comfort the symptoms of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ailment. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common condition that can cause stiffness, numbness, or severe pain in the wrist or hand. If you are facing this issue, then this post can be helpful for you. This post will discuss some useful exercises for Carpal Tunnel to ease the pain caused due to this annoying physical condition. Let’s start!
Table of Contents
What Is Carpal Tunnel?
Before we proceed any further, let’s discuss the Carpal Tunnel in the first place. It is a narrow passageway located at the end of the palm and is covered with the ligaments and bones. Carpal tunnel mainly comprises:
- The flexor pollicis longus
- Four flexor digitorum superficialis.
- Four flexor digitorum profundus.
- Median nerve.
The nine tendons are the connective tissues that connect muscles to the bone. On the other hand, the median nerve is a combination of motor and sensory nerves.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel exercises can help in alleviating the impact of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The disorder can take place when the median nerve gets compressed. As a result, you may experience tingling, numbness, or weakness in the hand, wrist, and arms. The problem can take place due to various reasons, including genetic factors and lifestyle. There is no known way to prevent it. However, you can treat this disorder with some helpful Carpal Tunnel exercises.
Therapeutic Exercise Program to Ease Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The below-explained exercise program for carpal tunnel syndrome can help with full care and attention. Here we go!
1: Wrist Extension Stretch
Wrist Extension Stretch is one of the most effective Carpal Tunnel exercises that you can easily do without needing any equipment. The best suitable time for this exercise is before doing any activity that involves gripping. You can do it as a warm-up activity.
How To Perform?
To perform this simple exercise:
- In the first place, you need to strengthen your arm and then bend your wrist that mimics the act of stopping someone.
- After that, use the other hand to press your palm gently towards yourself until you feel a stretch within your forearm.
- Now keep the hold for a minimum of 15 seconds.
- Once you are done, you can repeat the same for the opposite arm.
Note: When performing this Carpal Tunnel exercise, avoid locking your elbow.
2: Wrist Flexion Stretch
Wrist Flexion Stretch is the next exercise to comfort wrist pain caused due to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. You can perform it various times a day and as a part of your regular warm-up. Again, you can practice this exercise before any activity that needs gripping.
How To Perform?
To perform this stretch exercise for Carpal Tendon, follow the below-given steps:
- First of all, straighten your arm with your palm facing downwards.
- Make sure that your fingers are not closed and are facing downwards.
- Next, use your other hand to pull your fingers towards yourself until the opposite side of your forearm feels the stretch within.
- Remain in the same position for up to 15 seconds.
- Now perform the same procedure various times a day for both hands.
3: Medial Nerve Glides
Medial nerve glide is one of the most useful Carpal Tunnel exercises that trigger directly to the medial nerve. Before you practice it, you need to apply heat to your hand 15 minute prior to the exercise. Once you finish, apply an ice bag to your hand for 20 minutes to prevent excessive inflammation.
How To Perform?
Now that you are aware of the cautionary steps, follow the below-given steps to practice the glides:
- Firstly, make a fist when ensuring that your thumb is not enclosed in the fingers.
- Next, straighten your fingers and keep your thumb close to your hands.
- In the same position, bend your palm backward to the forearm until it gives a feeling of stretching.
- After that, extend your thumb away from the hands.
- Make sure that your thumb, wrist, and fingers are extended, and turn your forearm up.
- In the end, gently stretch the thumb using your other hand.
4: Tendon Glides
Tendon glide exercise is devised to trigger the tendons to get help with the Carpal Tunnel pain. It is also among those carpal tunnel exercises that require you to apply the heath before getting started. However, you need to apply a bag full of crushed ice or frozen peas to prevent inflammation.
How To Perform?
This exercise consists of two different variations for which you can follow the below-given set of steps:
First Variation:
- Bring your hand in front of you with the wrist and fingers straight.
- Now bend your fingers in a manner that they are forming a hook with the knuckles pointing upwards.
- In the same progression, make a fist with your fingers closed tightly.
Second Variation:
- Bring your hand in front of you with the wrist and fingers straight.
- Bend your bottom knuckle and keep fingers straight so that the posture imitates a tabletop.
- In the end, bend your fingers so that your fingers are touching your palm.
We hope that you find this post on Carpal Tunnel exercises helpful. To get more, keep in touch!
