Physical Therapy for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a hand and arm condition caused due to pressure on the nerve at the base of the palm (median nerve). This nerve originates from cervical (neck) spinal nerves and controls movement and sensation to the palmer side of the hand and fingers. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage located on the palm side of the wrist that protects the main nerve in the hand and the nine tendons that bend the fingers.
When
these tendons swell and enlarge they cause the median nerve to become pressed or squeezed at the wrist, resulting in CTS symptoms - pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist. CTS occurs in both men and women. The condition develops gradually and progresses over time, affecting the thumb, middle finger and half of the ring finger. Activities that involve flexing and extending of the wrist can make the symptoms worse, often leading to decreased grip strength and making it difficult to perform routine tasks with the involved hand.
How Physical Therapy (PT) Helps PT blends physiology with exercise and applies these principles to reduce pain. If your symptom evaluation confirms early-stage CTS, conservative care will be recommended as the initial step. PT helps to reduce symptoms and enables patients to become more active and functional, allowing them to perform routine activities more easily.
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Leading rehabilitation centers offer effective physical therapy services. During the initial visit, the physical therapist will ask you about your symptoms and the situations that make these symptoms worse. Based on your issues, the healthcare specialist will create a personalized treatment plan that includes the following modalities:
Exercises help increase the strength of the muscles in your hand, fingers and forearm. Gliding exercises can help to relieve CTS symptoms. Moving your fingers in a particular pattern of exercises may help your tendons and nerves glide more smoothly. Other simple exercises include wrist bend (forward and backward), wrist lift and flex, hand squeeze, and wrist stretch with weight and finger bend. These can help relieve symptoms when combined with other treatments such as splinting or activity modification.
Ice or heat application provides short-term relief from pain and numbness. Ice packs reduce muscle spasm and swelling whereas heat application relaxes the muscles.
Splints or braces are commonly used in treating CTS. They immobilize the wrist in a neutral (unbent) position and reduce discomfort. An unbent carpus maximizes the size of carpal tunnel, thereby reducing pressure on the median nerve and relieving symptoms.
Traction uses a hand traction unit or device that decompresses the wrist joint and provides relief from pain.
Ultrasound – Deep, pulsed ultrasound can minimize numbness and aches thereby improving hand strength.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) involves the use of low voltage electric simulation for pain management.
In a professional healthcare center, physical therapists provide injury prevention education or advice on appropriate posture and wrist position to prevent carpel tunnel compression in routine and leisure activities. Such education would include guidance about ergonomic positioning of the writs when working on the computer,
proper
posture, "stretch breaks" during work or daily routine, and safe use of sharp utensils, tools, or other implements, and maintaining good health.
www.hqbk.com
718-769-2521