As a medical scientist, I've studied the details of dozens of carpal tunnel syndrome exercises. And patients usually claim this exercise or that exercise "works best" for them.

But what does "works best" really mean? In other words, what makes one exercise better than another? The answer has three key components because the best carpal tunnel syndrome exercises:

• Have simple-to-follow instructions
• Are performed quickly & easily
• Completely eliminate symptoms

FIND OUT: do you have carpal tunnel? No strings attached self-test.

It took a great deal of time and trial-and-error to create an exercise regimen that has these three criteria. And I've prescribed it to thousands of patients.

The vast majority of them see major improvements in their carpal tunnel symptoms - even severe symptoms.

These carpal tunnel syndrome exercises are described below.

It's important to understand the following fact about carpal tunnel syndrome: 

Either you're trying to PREVENT it or you're trying to TREAT it. Which do you want to do? 

As you can imagine, carpal tunnel syndrome prevention is much easier than treatment. In fact, carpal tunnel syndrome stretches are the absolute best way to prevent this disorder. And the stretches below are precisely what you need.

In contrast, treating carpal tunnel syndrome is more difficult. And the difficulty increases with how intense your symptoms are. (Do you have symptoms? Check them here.)

The stretches below are crucial for treating any level of severity. But more severe symptoms require:

• More commitment of time to the exercises, and
• Night bracing, and
• Myofascial release massage

These additional interventions for severe symptoms are describes below. But you also need to perform the stretching exercises described below.

The exercise regimen I've developed performs two necessary biological functions. They're the key to eliminating carpal tunnel symptoms for good. Those functions are:

• Each exercise lubricates finger and hand tendons
• The exercise regimen inhibits adhesions and restrictions 

Loss of tendon lubrication and tendinous adhesions are the underlying cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. Lubricating tendons and reducing (or eliminating) adhesions will reduce the chances that the condition will arise or worsen.

Therefore, the best carpal tunnel syndrome fighter you can use is a stretching regimen that's performed:

• In the proper sequence, and
• For the right amount of time
  

Obviously, you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if you don't already have symptoms -- but you're at high risk for developing it. Such risk factors include:

• family history of the condition
• being female 
• having rheumatoid arthritis
• having sprained or broken your wrist or hand previously
• repetitively stress  your fingers and hand (as some occupations require)
• produce forceful activities with your hands
• work in the cold
• being depressed or emotionally stressed

If you want to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome from ever appearing, the exercises below are perfect. Most people only need to perform them every couple of hours during the day and they'll never experience this disorder.

In fact, every single day I advise at least a few patients, "Here's the best way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome: exercises!"

That means if you do a few stretching exercises every couple hours, you'll never see carpal tunnel syndrome. These fast & simple exercises are therefore perfect for:

• video gamers
• hairdressers
• transcriptionists
• artists
• graphic designers
• guitarists
• knitters
• dental hygienists

If you already have symptoms, then these carpal tunnel syndrome exercises are necessary to treat the disorder. The exercises are identical to those needed for prevention. The difference is how much time you devote to the exercises.

Treatment is a bit more tricky than prevention. That means these exercises should be tailored to your symptoms severity.

For instance, mild carpal tunnel symptoms can be treated effectively by performing these stretching exercises every 1-2 hours. Exercises should also be combined with night bracing and massage (see below).

To treat more severe carpal tunnel symptoms effectively, the exercises should be performed at least every hour. And it's crucial that severe symptoms be treated with additional night bracing and massage (see below).

Once again, there's a difference between prevention and treatment.

• To PREVENT carpal tunnel syndrome, do these stretching exercises every 2-3 hours that you work with your hands.
  
  
• To TREAT carpal tunnel syndrome, do these stretching exercises according to your severity (from every half hour to every 2 hours).
  

Symptoms of more severe carpal tunnel syndrome cannot be treated with stretching exercises alone. Stretching exercises should be just one component of an integrated treatment regimen. The other components required for more severe symptoms ALSO include:

• Night bracing, and
• Myofascial release massage

These carpal tunnel syndrome exercises are used for both prevention and treatment of this disorder. The difference is that prevention requires less attention and time. But treating carpal tunnel syndrome is different. It requires using these exercises for longer periods of time as well as more vigorously (depending on the severity of your symptoms).