Exercise Program for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Follow this exercise program to help treat your carpal tunnel syndrome.

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Your healthcare provider may recommend exercises to help treat your carpal tunnel syndrome.

Talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about which exercises are best for you and your rehabilitation goals.

Start each exercise slowly. A little discomfort is normal but stop any exercise that causes pain.

Wrist Extension Stretch

  1. Straighten your affected arm and bend your wrist back as if signaling someone to “stop.”

  2. Use your other hand to gently pull back on your affected hand until you feel a stretch in your forearm.

  3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then relax.

  4. Repeat 3 times.

Tips:

  • Do not bend your fingertips backward during the stretch.

  • Do not lock your elbows.

Person doing wrist extension stretch.

Wrist Flexion Stretch

  1. Straighten your affected arm and bend your wrist down so your fingers are pointing towards the floor.

  2. Use your other hand to gently pull your affected hand toward your body until you feel a stretch in your forearm.

  3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then relax.

  4. Repeat 3 times.

Tip:

  • Do not lock your elbows.

Person doing wrist flexion stretch.

Median Nerve Glides

  1. Make a fist with your thumb outside your fingers.

  2. Straighten your fingers while keeping your thumb close to the side of your hand.

  3. Keeping your fingers straight, bend your wrist backward toward your forearm.

  4. Keeping your fingers and wrist in position, extend your thumb.

  5. Keeping your fingers, wrist, and thumb extended, turn your forearm palm up.

  6. Keeping your fingers, wrist, and thumb extended, use your other hand to gently stretch your thumb.

  7. Repeat 10 times.

Six steps showing a hand doing median nerve glide stretch.

Tendon Glides

Series A

  1. Hold your hand in front of you with your wrist and fingers fully straight.

  2. Bend the tips of your fingers down so your knuckles are pointing up.

  3. Make a tight fist with your thumb over your fingers.

  4. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times.

View of a hand doing a tendon glide exercise in three steps.

Series B

  1. Hold your hand in front of you with your wrist and fingers fully straight.

  2. Keeping your fingers straight, bend your hand at your bottom knuckle. Your hand should look like an upside down “L.”

  3. Bend your fingers down to touch your fingers to your palm.

  4. Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times.

View of a hand doing a tendon glide exercise in three steps.

Ball Squeeze

  1. Hold a rubber ball in your affected hand.

  2. Keep your arm slightly bent with your palm toward the ceiling. Lift your hand higher than your heart. Squeeze and relax the ball.

  3. Repeat 10 times.

Woman doing ball squeeze exercise.