10 Simple Exercises for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This exercise can help improve movement in the hand and median nerve (the main nerve impacted by carpal tunnel syndrome) by reducing pain and swelling.

Rest the elbow of the affected arm on a table, palm facing forward and fingers toward the ceiling. Gently bend your wrist forward to about 90 degrees and hold for five seconds. Then bend it back as far as comfortable and hold for another five seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Like bending and extending the wrist, flexing it can help reduce pain and swelling in the median nerve and hand.

Hold out the affected arm with your hand palm side down. Using your other hand, gently press your hand downward so your fingers point toward the floor. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can reduce your grip strength, making daily activities like cooking, working, and exercising more difficult. Ball squeezes help improve grip as well as wrist and forearm strength.

Hold a small ball that’s a little squishy, like a tennis ball or foam ball. Squeeze for five seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

This move can stretch your wrists, thumbs, and fingers simultaneously, resulting in less wrist tension and stronger forearms.

Press your hands together at shoulder height and slowly press downward. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times.

This move not only engages the median nerve, but also stretches the palmar fascia (the connective tissue within your palm).

Place your hands in an upside-down prayer position. Keep your fingers and thumbs touching as you spread them apart as wide as possible. Gently push your wrists apart. Press your palms closer together, then widen again. (Imagine a spider doing push-ups in front of a mirror!) Repeat five times.

Shaking out your hands can help relax built-up tension in your median nerve.

Relax your arms and shake out your hands for about 10 seconds (like they’re wet and you’re trying to dry them).

This exercise helps improve movement in the hands and median nerve.

Hold up the affected hand with your fingers pointing to the ceiling. Gently bend the middle joints of your fingers and curl them toward your palm. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times.

Releasing tension in your shoulders and upper back can help ease pressure on your forearms and wrists.

Stand tall, relax your arms by your side, then lift your shoulders up and roll them back. Repeat five times.

Similarly, activating your shoulder blades may reduce strain in your arms and wrists.

Stand tall and relax your arms by your side. Squeeze your shoulder blades toward the middle of your back. Hold for five seconds and repeat five times.

This exercise helps strengthen the muscles of your forearms, resulting in better wrist movement.

Place the affected hand on a table or other flat surface. Place your other hand on top of it, keeping the fingers uncovered. As you push down with your top hand, push upward with your bottom hand against the resistance of your top hand. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times.