Carpal Tunnel Syndrome = Median Nerve Compression at the wrist
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) symptoms can be pins and needles &/ or numbness in the thumb and first two and a half fingers, shooting pain into the hand or up the arm, dropping items from a weakened grip. Often the worst symptom is waking up through the night to a numb hand.
The carpal tunnel is where the median nerve and nine tendons, used to flex the thumb and fingers, move from the forearm into the hand. The tunnel is bordered by bones and ligaments.
The median nerve can be compressed by swelling, external pressure and bending the tunnel –moving the wrist forwards or backwards, or by pulling the thicker muscular part into the tunnel in pinching or gripping.
There are a range of risk factors that can be discussed with your therapist.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Therapy
The aim of therapy is to reduce or eliminate the CTS symptoms.
Reducing pressure on the median nerve
• Using a splint to keep wrist at neutral
• Resting the affected hand
• Median nerve glides and tendon glides
• Activity modification
Avoid:
• Agaggravating tasks
• Repetitive pinching and grasping
Median Nerve Glides
Move smoothly between the positions shown below.
