Is there a creeping numbness spreading across your fingers? I am assuming these fingers are currently not freezing. If this numbness is associated with intense pain, you might have carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome, and how will exercises help with the treatment? Read through this post and find out. Are you with me?

A Nerve Problem Inside The Wrist:

Carpal tunnel syndrome begins with a problem in the median nerve, which travels from the wrist to the forearm. It passes through the carpal tunnel inside the wrist.

Ok, so modern medicine has understood where the problem lies. But, the exact mechanism of action is still a mystery. If you have an IQ above 145, you’re welcome to share the solution.

Meanwhile, the general consensus is that when the median nerve is compressed, it leads to the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. These include pain and numbness in the wrist, thumb, index, and middle fingers. Symptoms can be worse:

• Electric jolts, burning, itching or tingling sensations in the fingers and palm
• Sensation of heavy, swollen fingers
• Not able to grasp little objects
• Lowered strength in the grip
• Loss of hot/cold sensations
• Radiating pain from wrist to arm
• Inability to hold objects for long durations
• Loss of feeling

Considering how important our wrists and fingers are for our everyday activities, these symptoms are quite debilitating. Suddenly, 10 fingers seem too less!!!

Exercises To Relieve Moderate Pain:

If tapping on the median nerve along your wrist is sending tingling sensations up your fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome is a possibility. For severe pain that you can’t seem to shake off even hours afterwards, medical intervention is advised.

For moderate pain, however, wrist exercises bring relief. These exercises also complement ongoing treatments, though they are not a treatment plan by themselves (1), (2).

1. Wrist Curls:

You will need lightweight dumbbells for this. Don’t worry. You’re not imitating a body builder, but simply putting some strength into your wrists and forearms.

1. Sit down on a bench or chair
2. Legs must be spaced hip-width apart
3. Keep your back straight
4. Lean forward and rest your elbows on the knees
5. Hold light weight dumbbells in each hand
6. Keep the wrists pointing towards the ceiling, palms up
7. In smooth, controlled motions, bring one hand to your chest
8. Lift the weight slowly without swinging the arms
9. Drop the hand equally slowly to the first position
10. Perform the movement as many times as you desire

2. Bench Wrist Curls:

This exercise is a slight variation of the earlier movement.

1. Kneel before a bench and place your arms on it
2. Hold the light weight dumbbells in your arms
3. The forearms should lie flat over the bench
4. Gently, raise the dumbbell in one hand towards your chest
5. Tense or squeeze your forearm for stability as you lift the weight
6. Use mostly the forearm to lift the dumbbell as high as you could reach
7. Return slowly to the resting position on the bench
8. Repeat the movement for a few times and perform the same for the opposite hand

3. Reverse Curls:

You can stand on your feet for this exercise.

1. Stand straight and align yourself with legs planted slightly apart
2. With the feet shoulder-width wide, hold your dumbbells in the overhand style
3. This means your inner wrists are facing your thighs, knuckles outwards
4. Start the movement with your arms fully extended, then gently lift
5. Bring your hands up, towards your chest
6. Do not move your elbows from their original position
7. Raise both hands as high as you can
8. Here, your wrists and palms will face outwards
9. Slowly lower them to the first position, without bending the shoulders
10. Repeat as often as you want

4. Wrist Circles:

It is possible to perform this exercise anywhere (3).

1. Firstly, make a fist
2. Except the middle and index fingers, keep all the other fingers closed
3. Point the first two fingers up, palm facing forward
4. Now, begin rotating both wrists as if to make a huge circle in the air
5. Draw 5 such circles in a clockwise direction
6. Now reverse the direction and draw 5 circles in the anticlockwise direction

5. Wrist Stretch:

Stretching exercises for the wrists, to remind you again, strengthens the damaged area. Perform them regularly to prevent recurring pain.

1. Extend the hand before you, with your elbow straight
2. Slowly bend this wrist so that the fingers are now facing the floor
3. With the help of your other hand, apply light pressure
4. You can bend your elbow if you find it too painful
5. Maintain the stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds
6. Repeat one more time
7. Perform the stretch 2 or 3 times per day

6. Reverse Wrist Stretch:

Alternately, the exercise can also be performed in the opposite direction.

1. Extend your hand and bend the wrist upwards
2. Here, the fingers are pointing towards the ceiling
3. Using the other hand, apply pressure on the wrist by pushing down on the fingers
4. Maintain the stretch for at least 10 seconds
5. Repeat

7. Wrist Flexor Stretch:

This stretch will reduce considerable tension inside your wrist, not to forget you mind. But the wrist is not connected to your mind! I simply mean that this exercise looks as if you’re praying.

1. Bring your palms together near your chest
2. Now begin praying for the pain to vanish (No, that’s not going to work)
3. ·
4. Keep your palms flat against each other, fingers pointing up
5. Raise both elbows to form a straight line
6. Feel the stretch in your forearms
7. Raise the palms high, and slowly lower them to your stomach, keeping them together
8. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds
9. Repeat the movement 4 times (4)

8. Finger Stretches:

Finger stretches will help you deal with the pins and needles associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. You can perform this anytime to ease mild numbness in your wrist and fingers.

1. Make a closed fist with one hand
2. Clench all fingers in tight curls
3. Gently, release the fingers and allow them to fan out
4. Clench them again to repeat the movement
5. Repeat about 10 times on each hand

You can also exercise individual fingers in a similar fashion. To ease numbness in the thumb, curl it against the little finger. Hold for a few seconds, spread it and then repeat.

 9. Side Wrist Pull:

1. Extend your hands before you, elbows locked
2. Make closed fists with both hands
3. Maintain shoulder-width distance between the hands
4. Turn the hands inwards so that the inner wrists face inwards
5. Now, slowly bend the wrists downwards from this position
6. Ensure the sides of the wrists are bending down, like operating a joystick
7. Return the wrists to the first position
8. Repeat the movement as often as you want

10. Forearm And Wrist Stretch:

This stretch is for all the computer workers who are almost an extension of their computers.

1. Stand up straight and extend your hands before you
2. Before someone mistakes you for a zombie, hold your palms up
3. Now, slowly bend them so that they form a straight line with your arms
4. Here, make a fist
5. Bend the wrist downwards
6. Hold for 5 seconds
7. Return to first position
8. Repeat the movements
9. Perform the exercise every time you feel pressure in your wrists and arms

Exercises need not be a lot of work. The ones I just mentioned are quite manageable, while relieving you of some of the most annoying symptoms.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Pain in the fingers and wrists usually fades away with the above mentioned exercises. If not, carpal tunnel syndrome would have progressed to a seriousness that might lead to permanent nerve damage. So, what causes this worrisome syndrome?

• Genetic predisposition
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Prior wrist trauma or injury
• Manual work with heavy, vibrating tools
• Mechanical wrist joint issues
• Tumor or cyst in the canal
• Work stress

Aren’t the risk factors too many? Some can be avoided and some can’t. Obese individuals can certainly do more than just wrist exercises. Then, maybe wrist exercises won’t be necessary.

Who Are The Most Affected?

Genetics and chronic health conditions are like nuclear warheads that no one can control once deployed. However, carpal tunnel syndrome is seen frequently in people from all walks of life.

1. Statistics indicate that women are more prone to this condition compared to men. It is due to their smaller wrist carpal tunnel size and hormonal changes.
2. Bodybuilders are prone to wrist injuries from lifting heavy weights. This causes them excruciating wrist pain, preventing their muscular arms from holding barbells and other equipment.
3. Musicians are highly prone to carpal tunnel syndrome. We can admire them for their relentless efforts to make music in the face of nerve damage. A large percentage of musicians report nerve problems in their wrists, hands and neck.
4. Similarly, typists and computer users who type repetitively have been known to skip work because carpal tunnel syndrome interfered. Though computer use is not a major risk factor for the condition, workers experienced pain enough to hinder their daily activities.
5. Sadly, the people at the highest risk for carpal tunnel syndrome are heavy machinery workers. Work that requires high force and vibration is hazardous. These workers experience numbness and tingling long after the machinery stops.
6. Forceful use of hands, combined with continued stress on the muscles damages not just the nerves but also the bones. Many people like construction workers, truck drivers, machinery installation and maintenance personnel, airplane assemblers and industrial machinery mechanics fall under this category.

Do you fall into any of these categories? I’m 100% sure you fall into one or the other. Since I’m neither a bodybuilder nor a musician giving you this information, I come under the computer users category. Looks like I have to follow my own advice today and perform the exercises later.

Prevent The Condition To Decrease Its Impact:

Oh, I will perform the exercises to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, of course. Not because I have it; otherwise I wouldn’t be typing away at my desk, would I?

Apparently, among those disabling diseases that led workers to take the highest number of leaves, carpal tunnel syndrome stood second. The first happens to be fractures. Workers at high risk of this condition are also at a risk of constant stress, frequent job changes and even losing their livelihood.

Unfortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome does not come with a plaster cast that spells ‘fracture’, so the pain does not earn compensation. Prevention doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all.

How Do You Prevent It?

Since the risk factors are many, preventing the syndrome is also multifaceted.

• You must first treat any inherent medical condition that might be causing carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Prevent injuries to the wrist
• Protect the hands from further trauma if injured
• Learn to handle tools correctly
• Try and perform heavy tasks in a manner that does not stress the wrist and hand
• Ensure there is no repetitive stress on the hand
• Optimize your work area in order to sit and work using correct postures
• Perform wrist and hand strengthening exercises that prevent carpal tunnel syndrome

To emphasize, if you work in an office with a mouse and keyboard, there are many ways you can prevent the syndrome. Hold the mouse lightly, press keys without excessive force, maintain optimum distance with the monitor and employ wrist supports.

You get the point, right? Experts suggest sleeping in the correct position will also prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. They say your wrist should not be flexed when you sleep on your side.

Enough advice! Time for the exercises. Did you find the post helpful? Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The post 10 Best Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercises That Really Work! appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Sruthi Chowdhry via STYLECRAZE