Carpal tunnel syndrome can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Inhibited mobility is an issue at work, home, and leisure. If left untreated and allowed to exacerbate, severe damage to the wrists can occur, with surgery sometimes needed. There are, fortunately, tools and exercises to mitigate such dangers. Physical therapy can help reduce and reverse the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Exercises
Spider Push-ups. One exercise has the rather creepy name of “spider doing pushups on a mirror.” – a mirror is not needed, though. Instead, start with the fingertips touching and pointing toward the floor. Then, spread the fingers as wide as possible, and steeple the fingers while keeping the palms apart while bringing the fingers back together. This exercise helps stimulate the nerve that causes carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist, and it’s easy to do just about anywhere.
The Shake. This exercise is less involved but still beneficial. It’s called the shake because it involves shaking the hands as if air-drying them. For best results, perform this exercise for a minute or two every hour. While that sounds like a lot, this is another easy exercise that can be done almost anywhere and helps flex the nerves affected by carpal tunnel syndrome.
Wrist Flexor Stretch. The wrist flexor stretch is a more specific exercise. To start, stretch the arm forward, palm facing upward. Then bend the wrist back so that the hand points toward the floor. Using the other hand, bend the wrist back farther until you feel the stretch in the forearm. To avoid injury, be careful not to overstretch, as the joints involved here can be delicate when bent the wrong way. Hold that position for fifteen to thirty seconds and repeat the exercise several times.
Dealing with wrist pain doesn’t have to impact the quality of life. While carpal tunnel syndrome is common, with the right exercises and precautions, it can be avoided or mitigated to help prevent further damage and retain the mobility of the joints and thus, allow the wrists to remain flexible.
Carolina Regional Orthopaedics, P.A.
Are you suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome? Carolina Regional Orthopaedics, P.A. can help. After a thorough examination, we can develop a treatment plan to get you back to your regular routine in no time. Contact us at 252-443-0400 and set up an appointment today.