Carpal Tunnel Exercises

If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer keyboard, or perform other repetitive work with your hands, you may feel the negative effect in the form of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel is a painful medical condition that hinders how you're able to move and use your hands and wrists. Exercising the muscles involved can relieve and improve symptoms, however, and you may even prevent some symptoms before they occur.

Make a Fist

• Repetitive motions can be helpful in exercising your hands and wrists. Hold your arm straight out in front of you with fingers extended and palm down. Keep your wrist straight; bending it is not as beneficial. Make a flat fist with your hand (thumb out to the side) and hold it for five to 10 seconds. Then go back to your original position (hand flat). Then make a hook shape with your fingers, and again hold for five to 10 seconds before returning to the starting position. Finally, make a traditional fist with your fingers and hold for five to 10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the activity, alternating hands.

Work Your Wrist

• Your wrist can benefit from stretching too. Use the pressure of your left hand to stretch your right wrist by bending your right hand backward toward your forearm and pushing down on it with your left hand. Then bend your right wrist in the other direction and push down on your knuckles using your left hand. Switch hands.

  Rotate your wrists regularly. Take turns rotating your wrists clockwise and counter-clockwise, 10 times in each direction. If this is too hard, simply bend and stretch each wrist as far as it will go in forward and backward directions.

Fingers and Hands

• Use a small "stress ball" to work out your fingers and hands. Squeeze the ball for 10 seconds in one hand, then release for five seconds. Repeat this five times, then switch to the other hand.

  It is also important to wiggle your fingers regularly. If you spend 20 minutes typing, take two minutes to stretch and wiggle your fingers. Clench and unclench them, then spread them out and bring them together. Move them up and down, weave them together and unweave them. Move your hands and fingers in as many ways as you can, a few times a day, to avoid injury.