Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition of the wrist in which the median nerve of the wrist becomes compressed due to swelling of the surrounding tendons. Symptoms include pain, numbness and tingling. It is believed that the cause is repetitive movements of the hand and wrist, often related to work.
This is a serious problem for people affected with carpal tunnel. The US Department of Labor reports that carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common medical problem reported in the workplace.
There are over a quarter of a million surgeries performed for carpal tunnel syndrome each year in the United States. Although surgery is often done as a last resort, it isn’t always effective. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only twenty three percent of patients are able to return to work, even after surgery.
For these reasons, a growing number of people are trying to find alternative methods to ease the pain of carpal tunnel. Medical treatments involve taking anti inflammatory medications and immobilizing the wrist.
Yoga offers benefits for people with carpal tunnel syndrome, as was reported in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). According to that study, after practicing yoga regularly for two months, patients experienced improvement in the symptoms.
Yoga helps by strengthening and opening the joints of the body, which includes the wrists. Although yoga offers benefits, there are some poses that can actually aggravate the condition.
Poses to avoid or modify include any asana that puts pressure on the wrists. This would include any of the arm balance poses, plank, downward facing dog, upward facing dog and any other pose that puts pressure on the wrists. Watch for pain or pressure and modify each pose as needed to reduce this pressure.
Of course, each case is different and if you are having severe symptoms or under a doctor’s care, it’s always a good idea to talk to your health care provider before starting any new exercise regimen.