Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) can bring discomfort and hinder daily activities. CTS is often caused by repetitive hand movements, trauma, or underlying health issues, leading to symptoms like numbness, tingling and pain in the hand and fingers. However, there is hope in a series of exercises that may help alleviate the symptoms and improve your wrist and hand mobility. Here, we will guide you through five effective exercises tailored to provide relief from CTS. Incorporating these exercises into your daily fitness routine allows you to move towards a more comfortable and functional life.
List of the best exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome
Here are the five most effective exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome:
- Wrist flexor stretch
- Wrist extensor stretch
- Finger tendon glide
- Thumb flexor stretch
- Nerve gliding exercise
Let’s see how to do each of these CTS exercises correctly.
1. Wrist flexor stretch
The wrist flexor stretch is a simple yet effective exercise for CTS. To do this stretch, gently extend your arm in front of you, palm facing down. With your other hand, apply gentle pressure to your fingers, pulling them towards your body. You should feel a stretch in the underside of your wrist and forearm. Hold the stretch for about 15-30 seconds, repeating it a few times on each hand. The wrist flexor stretch helps alleviate tension in the carpal tunnel area, providing relief from discomfort or numbness.
2. Wrist extensor stretch
Like the previous stretch, extend your arm with your palm facing up this time. Use your other hand to pull your fingers toward your body gently. You will feel a stretch on the top side of your wrist and forearm. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat multiple times. By stretching these muscles, you can potentially alleviate pressure on the median nerve.
3. Finger tendon glide
Start with your hand in a relaxed fist, then slowly extend your fingers as much as possible without causing pain. Then, curl your fingers back into a fist. Continue this gliding motion, moving your fingers through their full range. Perform these glides multiple times throughout the day. Finger tendon glides help maintain the flexibility of tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel, preventing them from becoming constricted and exacerbating CTS symptoms. Regularly doing this exercise will relieve you from the pain and discomfort associated with CTS.
4. Thumb flexor stretch
To do a thumb flexor stretch, hold your hand in front of you, palm facing down, and gently bend your thumb across the base of your little finger. Apply gentle pressure with your other hand to increase the stretch. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat. This exercise targets the thumb flexor muscles, which can contribute to carpel channel discomfort when they get tight. Regular stretching can alleviate strain on the median nerve and improve overall hand function.
5. Nerve gliding exercise
To begin with the nerve gliding exercise, extend your arm with your palm facing up. Gently bend your wrist down and flex your fingers towards your palm. Then, extend your fingers upwards and fan them out. Perform this gliding motion in a slow and controlled manner, emphasising the gentle stretch along your palm and fingers. Nerve gliding exercises encourage better nerve mobility within the carpa