Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Seattle WA

Addressing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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By Linda Knittel

After ten years of tending bar, Gloria Schneider had gotten used to going home with sore feet and a tender back. They were aches she expected and, for the most part, ignored. But when the nerves in her wrist began throbbing while she worked and tingling during sleep, she had no choice but to address the problem. Not only was she shocked to discover that grocery checkers and computer users aren’t the only ones who develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), she was even more surprised to learn that the stance she took behind the bar, and the way she held her shoulders when pouring drinks played a big part in creating her wrist pain. But just as poor posture can contribute to the onset of CTS, reestablishing proper body alignment through yoga, Pilates and Rolfing can help treat and prevent the condition.

“In our culture, carpal tunnel is one of the first conditions that comes into play when the body is out of balance,” says Karen Lackritz, a certified advanced Rolfer and yoga teacher in Eugene, Oregon. Although CTS has become a catchall term for a number of arm and wrist conditions, it technically refers to the syndrome caused by pressure on the median nerve where it enters the hand through a tunnel in the wrist. “Oftentimes the problem stems from a misalignment in the angle of the shoulder girdle, which is ultimately determined by the position of the pelvic girdle.” In other words, if you spend your day slumped in a chair or slouching while on your feet, there is a good chance you are holding your hips unevenly and rounding your shoulders. After a while, this rounding can impinge on the nerves where your shoulder meets your arm, influencing how you use your hands, and ultimately causing the painful wrist inflammation for which CTS is notorious. “No matter what task you are doing, poor posture will create inefficient movements, and over time that will cause problems,” says Lackritz.

Realign with Yoga
Of course the severity of one’s CTS and level of pain will dictate the best course of treatment, but for many people, yoga is a great place to start. Even a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that certain poses or “asanas” can improve CTS symptoms. The study tracked 42 people with CTS who were randomly selected to one of two groups. The first group practiced a yoga-based regimen of 11 asanas for strengthening, stretching, and balancing upper body joints, as well as relaxation, twice weekly for two months. The control group wore a splint at night but did not practice yoga. At the end of the study, the yoga group showed better grip strength and greater pain reduction. “Not only can yoga stretch and strengthen the body, but it also can help restore awareness of how one moves the body in space,” says Lisa Mae Osborn, MS, LAc, an acupuncturist and yoga teacher in Portland, Oregon. “The practice of yoga encourages people to nurture themselves and make the lifestyle changes necessary to remed...

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