Common Exercises Assigned Prior to Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause discomfort and limit your daily activities. If you are experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome, there are several exercises you can try out to help restore normal hand movement and optimize the health of your hand and wrist.

Performing hand and wrist exercises periodically can help reduce pressure within the carpal tunnel. In this article, we will explore some exercises often performed by patients of the Ovation Hand Institute prior to carpal tunnel surgery.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

Too much pressing or squeezing of the median nerve in the wrist area is what causes carpal tunnel syndrome. Here are some of the symptoms:

1. Numbness and tingling sensations in the hand.
2. A burning sensation in the hand.
3. Fingers feeling fuzzy or swollen.
4. Hand weakness that makes it difficult to grasp objects and perform manual tasks.
5. Pain in the wrist or hand.
6. Occasional shock-like sensations that radiate from the wrist to the elbow.

Common Recommended Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercises

Your physician, PA or NP may recommend some hand exercises to help reduce symptoms, improve strength and flexibility, and improve the function of your hand. Here are some common carpal tunnel syndrome exercises.

Hand Grip Exercises

Using a soft rubber ball, squeeze, and hold for 5 seconds. Do this ten times, up to three times a day. This carpal tunnel exercise will improve your grip strength and strengthen the muscles in your hands, fingers, and forearms.

Median Nerve Glides

Hold each of the following positions for 3-5 seconds, repeat up to 10 times, 3 times per day:

Position 1: Make a fist with wrist in neutral position. Position 2: Extend fingers, keep thumb close to fingers. Position 3: Extend wrist (bend backward, towards your arm). Position 4: Extend thumb away from fingers, (while keeping hand in position 3). Position 5: Same as position 4 but turn fingers away from you, palm up. Position 6: Same as position 5, with other hand gently stretching thumb downward.

Prayer Hands Stretch

Press your hands together under your chin, and slowly lower both hands to your waist. Do this for 30 seconds and repeat the exercise three or four times.

Wrist Flexor Stretch

Extend one of your hands out in front of you with the palm facing up, then bend your hand back while stretching the palm side of the wrist. Deepen the stretch with your other hand and hold for up to 30 seconds. Repeat on each hand two to four times.

Wrist Extensor Stretch

Extend one of your hands in front of you and bend it towards the floor while stretching the back of the wrist. Use your other hand to bend it forward and intensify the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on each hand two to four times.

Finger Stretch

Stretch your fingers wide and then relax them repeatedly to improve blood circulation and relieve the strain on your wrist and median nerve.

Thumb Stretch

Hold your hand out in front of you and gently pull your thumb back toward your wrist until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and then release. Repeat up to four times.

Options for Carpal Tunnel Surgery

There have been several advancements in carpal tunnel surgery in recent decades, including Ovation Hand Institute’s revolutionary new procedure. The Ovation Technique has created thousands of very satisfied patients.

The Ovation Technique is less invasive than both the endoscopic carpal tunnel release and open carpal tunnel release surgeries. Patients are able to resume normal activities in 1-2 days after the Ovation Technique surgery.

The Ovation Technique takes approximately 15 minutes and is performed in the office.

After administration of the local anesthetic, two small punctures are made in your hand and wrist as entry and exit points. Utilizing ultrasound technology, our doctors are able to obtain accurate imaging of your hand and a thread is guided around the ligament. Because of this, only the ligament is gently cut and surrounding tissue remains intact.

Related: What To Expect After Carpal Tunnel Surgery

If You’re Considering Carpal Tunnel Surgery, we can help at Ovation Hand Institute

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can impair the daily lives of those who suffer from it. Our revolutionary Ovation Technique aims to give patients the treatment they deserve, helping them resume regular activities faster than most other surgery options for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Are you considering undergoing carpal tunnel release surgery? The Ovation Hand Institute specialists are ready to help you find relief from your carpal tunnel symptoms and optimize your hand’s condition.