Carpal tunnel syndrome

Wrist exercises

This guidance has been produced by the Dynamic Health physiotherapy service. It offers simple measures to help you manage your wrist problem safely. Often the right advice and exercises are all you need to improve the problem.

How much exercise should I do?

A senior couple on yoga mats outside in a park in a bent knee standing pose with arms outstretched.

Exercise every other day

Allowing enough rest is important to let soft tissues recover and develop.

cropped image of two people, one black and one while in shorts and t-shirts on an exercise bike pedalling. Close crop on their hands on handle bars and their legs moving.

Choose 3 or 4 exercises

Choose exercises that are challenging but manageable.

Young asian man running on the spot wearing a t-shirt and shorts in their living room on a wooden floor.

Repeat the exercise

View each exercise below for information about how many repetitions.

Rest

Rest for up to 1 to 2 minutes between each set.

Once an exercise is easy, progress it

Increase the number of repetitions (aim for 10). Or hold the positions for longer or move to a more challenging exercise.

How much pain is too much pain?

Before exercising

Before exercising, rate your pain at the moment on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine.

A maximum pain level

A maximum pain level of 4/10 whilst exercising is fine as long as it eases within 45 minutes of the session and does not interfere with sleep or activities the next day.

If your pain increases

If your pain increases beyond this, simplify the exercise by reducing the range of movement or number of repetitions, or try an easier exercise.

Wrist splint

Median nerve slider

Nerves cannot be stretched like elastic, it is better to think of nerves as being like a piece of string. What you can do however is "slide" the nerves up and down your arm by altering where the tension is. This should relive any area where the nerve is becoming stuck and causing symptoms.

For this "slider" there are two positions that you will need to move between.

Palm facing away from yourself with fingers pointing towards the floor. Your head should lean towards your arm.
Curl your arm so that you are touching your shoulder. Lean your head away from your arm.

Alternate between stages 1 and 2. Repeat 20 to 30 times.

Finger flexion (final row of joints)

Try to touch your fingertips down to the pad at the base of your fingers.

You can complete these three finger flexion exercises together, going from the first to second to third exercise and then repeating this cycle.

If you are not able to complete these movements with every finger, consider helping the movement with your other hand.

Repeat 10 times for 3 sets.

Wrist extension

Wrist flexion stretch

Wrist extension with resistance

Need more help?

Consider self referring using the link below:

If you have a new injury or problem, please look at the self help information in our advice pages. We will often complete the same exercises and share information in clinic appointments.

If you still need some more help you can self refer into our service. Please note that the NHS is currently experiencing longer than normal waits, for more information visit our waiting times page.

Refer yourself to physiotherapy