Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[Adapted from Natural Hand Care by Norma Pasekoff Weinberg]

Specially designed soft, slow, gentle stretching exercises can bring relief to those with carpal tunnel or other repetitive strain injuries. You will notice a slight resistance to the movement at the beginning of the stretch, which will fade as the tissue releases. This loosening is the beginning of change and healing. For each of these exercises, start with 1 set of 10 repetitions and build up to 3 sets of 10 each time.

Gentle Wrist Flex

  1. 1. Extend one arm in front of you with your palm and fingers facing up.
  2. 2. Place your other hand sideways across the outstretched palm, as if you were reaching for a handshake.
  3. 3. Press gently against your outstretched palm and fingers for a mild extension. Repeat on the opposite side. This is an easy and important stretch to do when you are spending a lot of time in front of a computer.
  4. 4. For this slightly more vigorous stretch, hang your hand, palm side down, over a shelf, table, or armchair. Use your other hand to bend it down as far as is comfortable. Repeat with the opposite hand.

Wishing Pose Press

  1. 1. Bring your hands together, with your palms touching and fingers interlaced.
  2. 2. Pressing your palms together, push your right hand backward with the force of the left.
  3. 3. Reverse, pushing your left hand backward with the strength of the right. The pressure should emanate from the palms, not the fingers. Bend just until the stretch begins to feel uncomfortable.

Wings Wrist Stretch

  1. 1. Bring your palms together in front of your chest, fingers pointed up.
  2. 2. Keeping your palms together, slowly raise your elbows up as far as possible without discomfort. Release. Repeat slowly.