Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the mobility of the median nerve is restricted as it passes through the wrist on its way to the hand. The condition typically comes on gradually and intermittently causing many sufferers to hold off on seeking care until the pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness becomes too much of a burden to carry out everyday activities. We often look at CTS after it’s developed, but is there anything that can be done early on to slow or halt the progression of the condition?

Past research has shown that CTS patients often experience weakening in their grip and pinch strength. In a 2024 study, researchers recruited 62 office workers with the early signs and symptoms of CTS and separated them into two groups. Forty-nine participants were assigned to an exercise group with the aim of improving hand strength, and thirteen did not receive any exercise instruction and served as the control group. The three-times a week for eight-week exercise protocol included:

• Median nerve mobilization: Raise one arm 90 degrees sideways, elbow straight, make a fist with the thumb pointing up, rotate the head to the opposite side and perform repetitive flexion and extension of the wrist. Repeat using the other arm.
• Stretching the median nerve: Raise BOTH arms to 90 degrees sideways, keeping the elbow, wrist, and fingers straight with palms facing down, looking straight ahead. Lengthen your arms as if to push two walls apart.
• Chest Stretch: Stand sideways to a wall, raise one arm 90 degrees sideways, elbow straight, place your palm on the wall-fingers pointing backward, slowly take a step forward and hold until the stretched chest muscles relax. Repeat using the other arm.
• Flexor Forearms stretch: Kneel on all fours, fingers pointing forwards/elbows straight, shift your weight forward until you feel a firm forearm stretch and hold.
• Wrist Curls (Flexors): Use a light weight, palm up, elbow next to your side bent at 90 degrees. Move the weight slowly up and release slowly down. Repeat using the other arm.
• Wrist Curls (Extensors): Same except the palm face down. Repeat using the other arm.
• Pronation/Supination resistance: Same as 5 and 6 but slowly rotate your hand/palm up and down (like an airplane propeller).

Assessments performed after the eight-week intervention revealed the exercise group experienced greater overall improvement in function, particularly grip and pinch strength. This led the authors to conclude that such an exercise protocol could help slow or even halt the progression of CTS in its earliest stages, especially when combined with other measures such as ergonomic improvements and more frequent breaks to allow the tissues passing through the wrist to recover.