Simple exercises to get wrists moving

One of the simplest exercises used to help manage carpal tunnel syndrome is called the median nerve glide.

Start with your arm by your side and your elbow bent at 90 degrees.

Make a fist while keeping your wrist straight.

Slowly open your hand, then extend the wrist and fingers backwards as if signalling ‘stop’.

Then gently straighten the elbow until you feel a mild stretch down the forearm. Hold for a few seconds before returning to the starting position. The movement should feel gentle rather than painful.

Another commonly used exercise is the tendon glide sequence. Begin with your fingers straight. Then move into a hook fist, where the middle and end joints bend while the knuckles stay straight. Next make a full fist, then a straight fist with the fingertips tucked into the palm.

Move slowly between each position to encourage the tendons to glide smoothly through the wrist.

A third exercise is the wrist flexor stretch.

Hold one arm out straight with the palm facing upwards. Use the opposite hand to gently pull the fingers downward until a stretch is felt in the forearm. Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat several times daily.

Experts recommend doing the exercises three times a day, for up to ten repetitions.