PHYSICAL THERAPY NEWSLETTER
COMBAT CARPAL TUNNEL WITH PHYSICAL THERAPY!
affecting approximately 1 out of every 20 Americans, and accounting for almost 50% of all work-related injuries. Assembly-line work is the most common source of carpal tunnel syndrome, although those who perform jobs demanding extensive use of hand tools, keyboards, or the operation of heavy machinery are also at risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Certain leisure activities have also been known to lead to this condition, such as sewing, playing string instruments, or participating in sports involving racquets. Some health conditions can also lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, such as: • Previous injury to thewrist, includingstrains,sprains,dislocations, and fractures. • Fluid retention, typically during pregnancy. • Use of medication, typically steroids. • Hormone or metabolic changes, including thyroid imbalances, pregnancy, and menopause. • Degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis. • Diabetes. Surgery Vs. Physical Therapy Insomeseverecases,surgerymaybeanecessarystep inthetreatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. However, in most cases, physical therapy alone is enough to treat the condition completely. Inastudytitled,“CarpalTunnelSyndrome:PhysicalTherapyorSurgery?” published inthe JournalofOrthopaedic&SportsPhysicalTherapy,that theory was thoroughly tested. Based on the known side effects and risksassociatedwithsurgery, inadditiontotheknowledgethatover1/3 of patients are unable to return to work within 8 weeks after receiving their operation, researchers decided to test whether physical therapy treatments could be used in replacement of surgical procedures. The results were overwhelmingly positive. 100 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were studied; 50 had received surgery, and 50 had received physical therapy alone. The physical therapy patients were treated with manual therapy techniques, focusing on the neck and median nerve, in addition to stretching exercises given by their physical therapists. After one month, the physical therapy patients hadmuch better function during their daily activities than the surgery patients, and demonstrated stronger grip strength overall. At 3, 6, and 12 months, patients in both groups showed similar improvements with function and grip strength.
Do your hands, wrists, or forearms ache on a daily basis? Are your daily activities, such as typing or lifting, harsh on those areas? Do you tend to feel painful stings with arm, hand, or wrist movement? If so, you may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that can cause numbness, stiffness, or pain that can radiate through your fingers, hands, wrists, or forearms. This happens when too much pressure is put on your median nerve, located at the base of your palm. Your carpal tunnel is a narrow channel, about the width of your thumb, located on your wrist under the palm. It protects the median nerve, as well as the tendons you use to bend your fingers. When excessive pressure is put on the median nerve, it causes crowding and irritation of the carpal tunnel, making it difficult for it to do its job. This, eventually, is what leads to carpal tunnel syndrome. Many people will correct this condition with surgery; however, physical therapy has been proven to be just as successful in some cases (if not more so!) At Synergy Rehab & Wellness, we will safely and comfortably treat your carpal tunnel symptoms. For more information, call our office today What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Essentially, any excessive use of the fingers, wrists, hands, or forearms can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a very common condition,
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