This article is one of a series covering carpal tunnel — causes, symptoms, and the treatments we use at Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. For the complete overview, see the full guide:
→ Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment in New York City — The Complete Guide
New York Carpal Tunnel Exercises
Carpal tunnel syndrome (cts) is the cause of the median nerve being compressed as it passes through the tiny bony carpal near the wrist. Cts can result in pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand. Here’s some New York carpal tunnel exercises can help relieve your symptoms and are easy to do.
Prayer: Put your hand in a prayer position. Touch your palm side finger pads together and push the palms into each other while keeping the elbows up as much as you can. You should feel a strong stretch in the hands, fingers, and palm side of the forearms.
Shake: Shake your hands for 10-15 seconds like you just washed them and you’re trying to air dry them
Wrist Flexion Stretch: Hold your arm out in front of you with the elbow straight, palm facing down. With the opposite hand, bend the wrist as far downward as possible so the fingers point to the ground. This will produce a strong stretch in the muscles located in the back or top of the forearm. Repeat five to ten times holding each stretch for 15–20 seconds (as tolerated).
These New York carpal tunnel exercises can be repeated a few times per day, as frequent as once per hour. It’s helpful to set a timer on your phone to remind you when to perform the stretches and when to take a break. A good pain (stretch) is safe while a sharp pain indicates that what you’re doing could be harmful. If you experience this pain, stop the exercise you are doing.
Cts usually involves more than just the wrist, so these New York carpal tunnel exercises can also be done in conjunction with exercises that target the neck, shoulder, and elbow. There can be double crush syndrome as well, which is when the median nerve is entrapped in more than one location such as the neck, shoulder, elbow, or forearm (along with the wrist).
Further to doing these New York carpal tunnel exercise, chiropractic management can significantly help cts. This may include manipulation and mobilization of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, and neck. Muscle release techniques are often used along with physical therapy modalities like laser, electric stimulation, ultrasound, and others. Night splints will also help to keep the wrist in place during the night. Co-management with primary care could be an option if diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, and or other complicating conditions are present.
If you are in pain, contact us now. We have three simple ways you can make an appointment at our Back and Body NY chiro office:
Call now on (212)371 2000 or text (315)873-3095 or email us at Yo**********@***********NY.com

Dr Shan Sivendra MD is the founder and medical director of Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. A board-certified medical doctor, certified acupuncturist, and Director of House Physicians at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Dr Sivendra has been practicing in New York since 1995.
He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine) and received the Resident Research Award for three consecutive years.
Dr Sivendra has a background spanning internal medicine, pain management, and conservative spine rehabilitation, and was licensed in both the US and the UK.
At Back and Body Medical, he leads a multidisciplinary team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and acupuncturists dedicated to helping patients recover from pain without surgery or unnecessary medication.
Further Reading: Carpal Tunnel
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatments
- How Do We Diagnose Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
- Reducing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Confusing and Debilitating, but Treatable
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome New York Diet Solutions
→ Complete Guide: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment in New York City
