How can physical therapy after carpal tunnel surgery benefit you?

Feeling symptoms like pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness in your wrist and hand? You’re likely one of the many Americans who has developed carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when additional pressure is being placed on the median nerve in your wrist. Mild to moderate cases of this condition can often be treated with physical therapy and other nonsurgical treatments. However, severe cases may require surgery to heal properly. That’s one reason why there are more than 400,000 carpal tunnel surgeries performed on Americans annually. 

Physical therapy isn’t just helpful for treating mild or moderate carpal tunnel syndrome; it can also benefit people after their carpal tunnel surgery. 

Three ways physical therapy after carpal tunnel surgery can benefit you:

1. Faster return to work — Carpal tunnel syndrome is often caused by repetitive movements that you do at work. If you have a job that requires repetitive hand and wrist movements, you could be out of work for up to eight weeks after surgery. People who have jobs that don’t require such movements could be back at work in as few as seven days. No matter which return-to-work timeline you’re on, physical therapists can find ways to speed up your recovery. This can often lead to a quicker return to your job. 

2. Reduced pain — Pain is a natural part of healing from surgery, but that doesn’t mean your only choice is to take painkillers that you might become addicted to. Physical therapy techniques, like soft tissue mobilization, can often create a significant reduction in pain. They’re also all-natural, so you won’t have to worry about getting hooked on painkillers. 

3. Ergonomics education — You probably won’t want to get carpal tunnel syndrome again after you’ve had surgery for it. However, there is a chance it could happen. Physical therapists can help reduce this chance by educating you about ergonomics. This education can include: 

• Showing you how to stretch and strengthen your wrists. 
• Identifying office equipment that can keep your wrists in better alignment. 
• Revealing areas of your workplace that need ergonomic improvements. 

SSOR offers physical therapy to help you recover after carpal tunnel surgery

Are you looking for a physical therapy team that can help you recover after carpal tunnel surgery? You’ll find a very effective and experienced one at Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation. Our team excels at building post-surgical rehab plans that are unique to the type of surgery you’ve had and your recovery goals. Additionally, we can help you prepare yourself for surgery thanks to our pre-surgical rehab services. 

Contact us today for more information about our pre- and post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment.