Exercise to combat carpal tunnel syndrome can keep tendons loose, promote blood flow, and strengthen muscles. Stop any exercise or home remedy, however, if it makes your symptoms worse.
Hand Exercises
The National Safety Council suggests performing the following four exercises twice a day or whenever you need a break.
Wrist Circles: With your palms down and your hands out, rotate both wrists five times in each direction.
Thumb Stretch: Hold out your right hand, and grasp your right thumb with your left hand. Pull the thumb out and back until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for five to ten seconds, and release. Repeat three to five times on each thumb.
Five-Finger Stretch: Spread the fingers of both hands far apart and hold for five to ten seconds. Repeat three to five times.
Finger-Thumb Squeeze: Squeeze a small rubber ball tightly in one hand five to ten times. Afterward, stretch the fingers. Repeat with the other hand. (If you have high blood pressure, consult your doctor before regularly engaging in this exercise.)
Wrist Exercises With Weights
The following exercises, which call for small handheld weights, can strengthen the wrists. Give them a try, but remember to stop if they make your symptoms worse.
Palm-Up Wrist Curls: Rest your forearms on a table, with your palms facing upward and your hands held straight out over the edge of the table. With a light weight (one to two pounds) in each hand, flex your wrists upward ten times. Over the course of several weeks, gradually build up to 40 repetitions on each wrist. Increase the weight of the dumbbells each week by one pound to a maximum of five pounds. Don't exceed five pounds with this exercise, however, or you may traumatize the wrist.
Palm-Down Wrist Curls: Adopt the same position as in the previous exercise, but have your palms facing downward. Flex your wrists upward ten times. Gradually increase the number of repetitions over several weeks.
Arm Curls: Stand and hold the weights at your sides, palms facing forward. Slowly curl your arms up, keeping your wrists straight. Do ten curls with each arm; build up to 40 curls each over several weeks.
For many office workers and store clerks, carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that can make the work day full of pain and discomfort. But for many, making some simple lifestyle changes and following these home remedies may prevent further damage and promote healing.
