| p>If you know that you have carpal tunnel | | | | any pain for the next three days. |
| symptoms, I don't have to tell you how | | | | What I realized is that exercise and activity will |
| uncomfortable and annoying they can be. There is | | | | repair and heal a repetitive strain injury, but it has |
| the feelings of pin and needles that come on | | | | to be a different activity than what has caused |
| gradually with some activity and as the problem | | | | the problem in the first place. With carpal tunnel, |
| progresses, pain usually accompanies it. | | | | its very fine motions repeated over and over |
| Eventually, the muscles of the hand(s) get so | | | | again that lead to the problem.What is needed is |
| weak that its difficult to lift something as light as | | | | the hand and wrist working in larger motions |
| a bottle of water without either pain or the | | | | emphasizing sustained muscle contractions rather |
| inability to hold on to it, or both. The numbness | | | | than repetitive contractions. |
| and tingling are easier to take than the pain with | | | | Since I can't tell you what to do for your problem |
| some people, but both of these combined will | | | | over the internet, I will tell you what I do for my |
| actually be pretty debilitating as they progress | | | | patients that I treat personally. What I have |
| untreated. | | | | found that gives me the best and most |
| Many people who have been treated by their | | | | consistent results incorporates the use of a |
| doctors and physical therapists have been | | | | regular plastic/rubber children's play ball that can |
| unsatisfied with their treatments for one reason | | | | be bought at the local Walmart or even CVS. The |
| or another. As a physical therapist I know the | | | | size of the ball is what's important. I tell my |
| challenge of treating a patient suffering from | | | | patient that they should be able to "palm" the ball |
| carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. One of the | | | | fairly easily, but at the same time, when they are |
| biggest challenges is actually getting the patient to | | | | "palming" the ball, their hand should be stretched |
| buy into a regular exercise program and | | | | to it's limit. They will have to be able to hold |
| consistently do it. | | | | onto the ball in many different positions so when |
| I have found that most exercise programs are | | | | they are picking one out, they need to palm it |
| more like strengthening programs and not | | | | and then move their arm and hand into different |
| treatment programs. While the patient has | | | | positions. I also tell them they may need to let |
| weakness in their hands it's a weakness that's due | | | | some air out of it, or search around to find a ball |
| to over-activity, not inactivity. Because of this, a | | | | that fits their need. |
| typical weight lifting and strengthening program is | | | | The secret carpal tunnel exercise I tell my |
| not what is needed. | | | | patients is as follows: They will go through a |
| I have found that the muscles and tissues of the | | | | series of motions for 1 minute each and do this |
| hands respond well to activity and I have had my | | | | series 2-3 times per day. Holding the ball down at |
| best successes by thinking outside the box. What | | | | their side, they start moving the wrist back and |
| the muscles of the hand and forearm need is | | | | forth in a hello/goodbye motion. The next motion |
| different activity that forces the muscles to be | | | | is clockwise circles, then counter clockwise circles. |
| used in ways that are different from how they | | | | After that, the ball is lifted overhead and the arm |
| are used during the majority of the day or in | | | | is rotated at the shoulder like they are screwing in |
| different ways that what has caused the injury. | | | | a big light bulb. Then the arm is brought down |
| I first stumbled across this concept when I, | | | | again and the screwing motion is continued. |
| myself, had tennis elbow, which is a repetitive | | | | I generally have to tell my patients that more is |
| strain injury also. I developed tennis elbow from | | | | not better. The reason that most people have |
| doing a lot of hands on work with my patients. | | | | repetitive strain injuries is because they have |
| The symptoms and pain got so bad that I had | | | | done too much already and haven't listened to |
| severe pain when trying to lift things a certain | | | | what their bodies have been telling them. When |
| way that was essential for my job. I tried all my | | | | done gently and progressively, my patients usually |
| usual physical therapy treatments to no avail. I | | | | see significant progress in a week or so. But, I |
| found that hitting a tennis ball with a back hand | | | | can't say that this is the norm. If you choose to |
| swing, although was excrutiatingly painful while I | | | | try this, your results may vary and you do so at |
| did it, but I also noticed the fact that I didn't have | | | | your own risk. |