Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common nerve disorder affecting the arm and hand.  You likely have carpal tunnel syndrome if you are experiencing numbness and tingling in your fingers, night pain, and weakness in your hand.  Surgery is effective but most people would like to avoid going under the knife.  Manual therapy is a safe and effective alternative for people with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Manual therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy.  Treatment is delivered by your therapist’s hands.  When done by a skilled therapist, it reduces pain, improves joint mobility, and restores your ability to function.  And it comes without the risks of pills, shots, or surgery.

Manual Therapy and Exercise: Proven to Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A 2019 study out of Europe looked at 103 people with carpal tunnel syndrome. Half of the study participants received no treatment.  The other half received 20 sessions of manual therapy delivered by their physical therapist.  Manual therapy included nerve mobilizations.  These techniques gently move the median nerve within the carpal tunnel of your wrist.

After 10 weeks, the group receiving no treatment reported a modest 4% decrease in pain.  The manual therapy group reported an astounding 76% decrease in pain.  Participants receiving manual therapy also reported improved numbness and tingling as well as function.

This study proves, manual therapy is a safe and effective treatment for people with carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is Manual Therapy?

Physical therapists use clinical reasoning and their hands to apply pressure on muscles and manipulate joints.  This restores movement and decreases pain caused by muscle spasms, muscle tension, and arthritic joints.

Therapeutic touch is applied in a skilled fashion.  This calms or facilitates your body’s nervous system.  Often, you experience an immediate decrease in pain, improved muscle function, and improved mobility.

Mobilization and manipulation consist of movements of joints, nerves, and muscles.  All of these treatments are pain-free.  Below are examples of 2 techniques that help restore nerve mobility and decrease pain.

Manual therapy treatment usually lasts 15 to 20 minutes.  Your therapist then prescribes 3 to 4 specific exercises targeting your unique problem.  In order for pain relief to last, it is imperative that you perform these exercises at home.

Nerve Mobilization Techniques for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

With carpal tunnel syndrome, your median nerve becomes trapped or irritated with the carpal tunnel of your wrist.  As a result, your median nerve does not freely move around the surrounding tissues.  When nerves don’t move, their blood supply is restricted and they become irritated.

Nerve mobilization techniques; gently move your median nerve back and forth within your carpal tunnel.  This restores blood flow and normal nerve functioning.  There are 2 general types of techniques used by physical therapists: sliders and tensioners. Both are effective.

Sliders gently move your nerve back and forth.  These techniques are often used for the first few sessions and with more severe cases.  Tensioners elongate and stretch your nerves.  People with mild or chronic symptoms benefit most from these techniques.  Your physical therapist will likely use a mix of both types.

See Your Physical Therapist for an Initial Evaluation

Before applying any manual therapy treatment, your physical therapist must thoroughly examine you.  All people with carpal tunnel syndrome do not receive the same treatment.  Therefore, a personalized program is always best.

If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, the sooner you see your physical therapist the better your outcome will be.  The longer you wait the harder it is to recover.  Also, your brain is really good at compensating for how you move to avoid pain.  You don’t want to develop bad habits that are hard to break.

Call your physical therapist and schedule an initial evaluation.