Injury Case History

Carpal Tunnel - Symptoms: Pain in the wrist and hand sometimes running up through the arm into the shoulder.

                         Cause: Whether by striking or repetitive use, injury and swelling occurs in the wrist sheath. By itself this would tend to clear away but coupled with tight forearm flexors the flow of blood and lymph is restricted and swelling remains within the wrist.  This swelling causes pain as it compresses the tendons, nerves and blood vessels passing through this sheath.

                         Medical Solution: Surgically cut the wrist sheath.  This frees up the wrist to swell without compressing the nerves.   

                                        Upside: After recovery from the operation, the pain is gone

                                        Downside: Recovering from the operation; scar tissue may build up in the wrist causing a return of symptoms at a later date; the sheath has been  known to heal back together causing a return of the symptoms; and some loss of control as thumb and pinky finger hand muscles attached to the sheath loose their support.

                        Massage Solution:  Simple stretching of the forearm will relieve mild symptoms.  If enough scar tissue has built up in the forearm stretching by itself will only place greater strain where the tendons attach usually causing pain here as well.  Massage, (cross friction, and manual release technique), and stretching will break up scar tissue and release the muscle tension in the forearm flexors.  A Massage Therapist can assist with this treatment facilitating quicker recovery but after being shown how, you can do the massage and stretching on your own.

                        My Experience:  I have yet to see a case where releasing the forearm did not relieve the symptoms.  It may take some effort and time.  If you are in a job where you are continually irritating and re-injuring the wrist, it may help to take a vacation during treatment to allow the forearm to release and swelling to clear without the constant abuse.  Of all injuries that clients present this injury is the MOST TREATABLE!  In my opinion, surgery can be avoided.