Are you experiencing numbness, burning and tingling, or episodes of frequent,
recurring pain? Oops, what’s happening here? Carpal tunnel syndrome, or
repetitive strain injury (RSI ) are catch-all terms for a host of disorders that may
account for your symptoms. Although these cumulative trauma disorders and
overuse syndromes are rampant among our on-line generation, the beneficial
effects of treatments based on yoga and massage have only recently become
widely publicized.
True carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the eight finger flexor tendons swell
and cause impingement on the median nerve as it goes through the carpal
tunnel in the wrist. When the median nerve is entrapped, pressure increases in
the tunnel, starving the nerve of much needed oxygen. This makes the hand
tingle, feel numb, or become so weak that you can’t grip things as you used
to. But these symptoms can also result from tightness in the forearm, shoulder
or neck. For example, the pectoralis minor and scaline muscles can impinge on
the arm nerves, causing pain down into the hand. So we need to take a holistic
approach to these symptoms.
Recent research has suggested that yoga and massage therapies can help. For
example, a 1998 study published in the The Journal of the American Medical
Association by senior Iyengar yoga teacher Marion S Garfinkel, Ed.D (280: 1601-
03) demonstrated that an Iyengar yoga-based regimen was more effective than
wrist splinting or no treatment in relieving some symptoms and signs of carpal
tunnel syndrome. The yoga group reported significant improvements in grip
strength and pain reduction compared to control subjects who did not receive
any yoga instruction.
Everyone wants to feel healthy as we move about the world, but what we often
find after a long day at the computer, or an evening spent engaging in repetitive
hobbies such as knitting, is that the action of repeatedly moving the same
muscles over and over again along the same pathways causes the muscles to
tighten. And performing the same movements many times a day over a long
period of time can literally wear out the tissues. What begins as a minor irritation
can eventually progress to a severe injury. These micro-tears set up the
conditions for chronic inflammation, and like threads on a rope, some of the
collagen fibers will tear. When enough fibers tear swelling ensues, which pinches
the nerves, resulting in the classic neurological symptoms of weakness &
tingling. Thus, repetitive muscle use crosses the fine line from strong and
healthy to short and tight.
We can address these micro-traumas! Over time, as the intensity of the micro
trauma increases, the autonomic nervous system receives the message of injury
and initiates the inflammation response. Pressure increases because one of the
side effects of the inflammation response is a shortening of the muscle.
Normally, tendons glide easily in their sheaths -- but any change in tension to the
musculature will increase inflammation in the tendons, causing irritation, swelling
and even squeezing of the median nerve.
A regular yoga practice that focuses on upper extremity alignment can
counteract these effects. To determine if yoga can help, begin by checking your
alignment. Sounds easy enough but perfect shoulder placement can be elusive.
If your shoulders, slouch, slump or cave-inward, practice feeling your chest rise.
Check that your shoulder blades are lying back instead of winging out.
Fortunately, you don’t have to live with poor posture. If approached with
patience, persistence and gentleness, corrective yoga exercises can yield
excellent results. And posture has a huge impact, not just on the wrists, but on
all parts of the body.
How do we regain muscle memory and proper resting length of any muscle?
Recruit a skilled deep tissue massage therapist who is familiar with altering
structure and relaxing muscle restrictions . Remember, nerve impulses begin
upstream in the neck. By addressing these tight postural muscles and focusing
on realigning scar tissue, muscle memory can be reprogrammed, allowing for
proper resting length. This will reduce the tension in the tendons as they glide in
their sheaths. Pressure on the median nerve is then reduced and relief is on its
way!
I have found that the combination of yoga and massage therapies can
successfully address the postural component of repetitive strain injuries, bringing
much needed relief to those with common RSI symptoms.
Originally Published in New Jersey Namaste News; Winter Issue 2011; Vol. 3
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