Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (or Repetitive Motion Trauma) is a painful and debilitating condition caused by repetitive hand and wrist movement. It affects office and industrial workers, both male and female, wherever tasks necessitate repetitive wrist motions that include flexion, extension and rotation.
The direct cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can best be described as follows:
The median nerve which serves the thumb and 1st two fingers of the hand, passes through a tunnel in the wrist which is actually formed by a combination of ligaments, tendons, fascia and small carpal bones. If these structures become irritated or inflamed, particularly due to an unequal tension or tensile forces on tendons of the wrist, the resulting accumulation of inflammation & swelling produce compressive pressure on the median nerve, thereby eliciting the pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness as the symptoms of "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome."
Therefore, strengthening and stretching antagonist muscles in the wrist and forearm helps to reduce constant stress on those tissues, hence reducing inflammation, swelling and associated symptoms. So, not only does one benefit from a well balanced exercise program, but properly setup ergonomic work areas and/or use of ergonomically correct supports and braces should also be part of an overall treatment plan for CTS.
Often, this condition may become chronic and if a good treatment plan is not instituted early, it is possible to develop scar tissue in response to repetitive and persistant inflammation. This may become severe enough to necessitate surgical intervention.
Back Be Nimble's goal has been to provide information, as well as suggest exercise devices and ergonomic aids that can help halt the process before developing severe scar tissue in later stages.
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