Yoga and Meditation

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition which can cause pain, weakness and numbness in the wrists, hands and arms - in severe cases, these symptoms can be debilitating. Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome are caused by repetitive motion injury in the course of work or other habitual activities.

We’re a society where “playing through the pain” is seen as a virtue and as a result we soldier on even when our work causes pain and weakness in our wrists, hands and arms.

However, it’s a serious mistake to just grin and bear it; the condition will eventually progress to the point where your ability to work is severely impacted if left untreated.

What exactly causes carpal tunnel syndrome and how? Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by the median nerve in the hands and/or wrists becoming compressed or even damaged through repetitive motion.

This is probably the best one of these carpal tunnel exercises to start out with because you’re stretching everything. Your back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, and fingers will all feel the stretch. Continue to do this until you feel ready to start your workday. We recommend starting out with 5-10 reps your first time out and then go from there.

Placing too much strain on your wrists repeatedly, particularly when combined with poor posture can cause the compression of the median nerve. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and to prevent the condition from developing.

Good posture can help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Talk to your company’s resident ergonomics expert (if you have one) or research the topic yourself to find out how you can protect yourself from this condition. You should also take short breaks regularly throughout the workday to stretch your hands to keep them limber.

It’s important to understand that these are not quick motions. You may even want to hold each side for at least five seconds before moving to the next. We’ll leave this up to you, but the more you hold a position, the more it allows the body to stretch properly. When you’re finished and take a shower before work, these carpal tunnel exercises will make you feel much better.

Surgery is an option if you have a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome, but keep in mind that like any other surgery, there are some risks involved. While not likely, there is the possibility of losing some of your hand’s strength permanently as an unintended consequence of this procedure. Carpal tunnel surgery can also be very expensive if your insurer doesn’t cover this treatment.

Of course, even if you do go the surgical route, you’ll still have to do the same exercises and stretches which could help prevent the condition in the first place as well as providing some relief from the symptoms of the condition. Before you schedule a surgery, examine some of the less drastic options; you may be able to treat the problem without assuming the risk and expense of a surgical procedure.