Preventive Stretches

The 4 Core Carpal Tunnel Stretching Exercises

For carpal tunnel prevention, these 4 core stretching exercises the single most important thing you can do for your hands.

If you already have carpal tunnel symptoms, these stretches are crucial to relieving the pain, numbness, tingling, and burning.

carpal tunnel prayer stretch

Below you'll find the 4 core carpal tunnel stretching exercises you absolutely must do. 


They produce results that are key to preventing OR eliminting carpal tunnel syndrome at its source. 


How do they work? These stretches:

  • Loosen adhesions (caused by over-work) around tendons.
  • Increase blood flow around the wrist joint.
  • Facilitate fluid drainage from deep inside the wrist joint.

The end result is that tendons are better able to glide back and forth. That means it's less stressful to move your fingers. And that's why these these 4 core carpal tunnel stretching exercises should be a vital part of every carpal tunnel syndrome preventiion or treatment regimen.

Tips Before You Begin

  1. Perform each of the 4 core stretching exercise consecutively.
  2. Perform 1 repetition of each stretch before going on to the next one.
  3. Perform them at least every 2-3 hours.
  4. If you are straining you hand and fingers, stop every 30 minutes and perform the stretches.
  5. After each individual stretch, drop your hands at your sides and shake them out vigorously for 5 seconds. A warm feeling in your fingers and hands means blood is flowing through them.

Four core carpal tunnel stretching exercises

1. Prayer stretch

doing a carpal tunnel prayer stretch

This stretch is an exercise for your forearms. The tendons in each forearm begin at the arm muscles. Then they travel through the carpal tunnel (inside the wrist joint) and into the hand and fingers. That’s a long way for them to go. As a result, it’s also a lot of stretching to do. But this exercise will do it.


First, start by putting both hands in a "praying" position. In other words, put both palms and fingers together, pointing upward. Keep them close to the chest. Then, while maintaining both palms together and at the same level, slowly raise both elbows.


This will stretch tendons throughout the forearm and even to the fingers. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then relax. Let both hands drop at your sides and shake them out vigorously for 5 seconds. 

2. Stop stretch

stop stretch for carpal tunnel

This exercise is perfect to stretch the tendons from the fingers through the wrist. First, hold one hand up, face high. For example, pretend you’re making a "Stop!" gesture. 


Then with the opposite hand, reach up and pull your fingers backward. Hold this position for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat this carpal tunnel stretch once again.

3. Finger interlace stretch

finger interlace stretch for carpal tunnel

An important start for all carpal tunnel stretches is moving the fingers through a wide range of motion. The motion they need most is bending the fingers backward. This stretches the tendons inside the hand and the carpal tunnel space inside the wrist joint. 


First, interlace your fingers and lock your hands together. Next, rotate and push both palms outward and away from you. Then hold this position for 5 seconds. Repeat this carpal tunnel stretch once again.

4. Thumb stretch

thumb stretch for carpal tunnel

Stretching exercises for carpal tunnel should always include working the thumb. You’ll get effective results if you simply rotate your thumb like a helicopter blade. Do this several times. Then change direction. 


When you finish, pull your thumb gently and slowly backward. Then hold it for 5 seconds. Finally, switch hands and repeat this thumb stretch.

Final note about stretching exercises

These stretching exercises may sounds like a lot of commitment, but it becomes routine very fast. 

For carpal tunnel prevention, they are the single most important thing you can do for your hands.


This investment of time is amazing because of the payoff. That is, doing these 4 core carpal tunnel stretches can actually prevent you from getting this condition in the first place. And if you already have symptoms, they will greatly diminish them. 

If your symptoms are mild, these stretches can completely eliminate carpal tunnel. However, if you have severe symptoms they'll require additional therapies.


It sounds like a lot to do, but it gets to be an ordinary routine very quickly. And the time investment is amazing because the result is either greatly reduced symptoms or they're eliminated altogether.