What Is It?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common hand condition causing pain, numbness, tingling, and/or prickling sensations in the hand and wrist. If you find yourself “shaking your hands out” to regain normal feeling in your hands during the day, (or in the middle of the night, or while you are driving, or doing other common daily tasks), you may be developing carpal tunnel syndrome. The tingling sensation in the hands (specifically in the thumb, index and middle fingers) is a result of too much pressure on a major nerve deep in the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a tunnel in the wrist that contains this nerve along with nine other tendons, all traveling from the forearm down into the hand. If this nerve gets compressed for an extended amount of time (a situation that can be caused by irritation or swelling inside the tunnel) it sends tingling, prickling and/or numbness into the fingers and hand. If it’s not treated it may get worse over time; the numbness/prickling gets more intense, muscle strength in the hand gets weaker, and eventually it can lead to permanent damage of nerves and key muscles in the hand.

Often, carpal tunnel syndrome gets worse at night due to poor sleep positions of the hand. It can also occur during daily tasks that require prolonged gripping; such as driving, holding a book, or holding a phone to text or make a call. Symptoms can become noticeable during any activity and you may find yourself frequently starting to drop things as the syndrome progresses.

What Can Be Done?
Most people know someone who has received carpal tunnel surgery and may fear that it is the only treatment option; but new hand therapy treatments have been developed that can help someone heal from carpal tunnel syndrome, and most people opt to try the non-surgery methods first. Though it is true that some cases are so severe that surgery is the best option, with the right treatment, most people can heal without it.

Elynn Schriber MOTR/L specializes in Hand Therapy right here in Moab. She is an Occupational Therapist (OT) who provides Hand Therapy at the Precision Rehabilitation clinic located at 1030 Bowling Alley Lane. In addition to carpal tunnel syndrome she is trained in treating many other common conditions and injuries of the hand and elbow.

Precision Rehabilitation accepts most insurances. Cash pay also available. Some insurance companies allow Occupational Therapy visits without a doctor referral. If your insurance requires one, simply ask that an ‘OT Hand Therapy’ referral be sent to Precision Rehab while at your next doctor visit.

Call (435) 355-0126 to schedule a visit, , or call with questions, we are happy to help you.

You have probably heard that having a strong core is important and helps with back pain, athletic performance, injury prevention, posture and the various activities of daily living. Unfortunately, many people practice core exercises without regard for alignment or breathing patterns. Abdominal crunches, planks and the bird dog exercise build muscle, but when they’re done incorrectly, they can lead to further weakness.

The problem is overextension of the spine, forward rotation of the pelvis, and breath holding when doing core exercises. This misalignment can be seen in the photo. If the goal of core training is to reduce back pain through development of a balanced, strong torso with an aligned spine and symmetrical pelvis, strengthening this misaligned position is counter to that objective.

A stable, aligned pelvis is the foundation of a strong core. Located at the base of the spine, the pelvis links the upper and lower body and performs the dual roles of stabilization and motion generation. It supports the weight of the upper body when sitting or standing and transfers power from the core to the limbs during movement.

As a posture therapist, many of my clients suffer from back pain when sitting or standing still for a long time. In these cases, their static posture resembles the position shown in the photo. When the pelvis is no longer aligned, providing a solid base to hold the upper body, the soft tissues along the spine take on this supportive role.

We are all under the constant, unrelenting force of gravity as it pushes down on our bodies continuously. In ideal alignment, the force of gravity is transferred down the vertebrae of the spine and bones of the pelvis. However, when the posture of the vertebrae and pelvis are misaligned, the downward force of gravity is passed through the soft tissues. With time, this can over stress your muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, which can cause strain, breakdown and pain, commonly in the lower back.

What exercises should you do to strengthen your core?
Although commonly advised, abdominal and lower back exercises are not enough to keep your core strong. As discussed, the position of the spine and pelvis are fundamental to a strong core. Keeping the pelvis in an aligned position requires a coordinated effort among the muscles that are attached to it from all directions. The abdominal and lower back muscles attach to the pelvis from above. Yet, there are also many muscles attached to the pelvis from below and at the sides. Your core training program should incorporate exercises for all of these muscles, including the inner and outer thigh, quadriceps and hamstrings, hip rotators, gluteals, and hip flexors.

Most importantly, to train the core correctly and reduce back pain, the body needs to be in alignment. The rib cage and pelvis need to be stacked with the spine elongated. This is facilitated and maintained through efficient breathing and fluid movement of the respiratory diaphragm and pelvic floor with each inhale and exhale.

Learn more! Here are two options to discover effective training exercises. First, sign-up for The Core Challenge, and receive core alignment and strengthening tips delivered to your email inbox over five days. thepfathlete.com/core. Second, attend the Posture Fitness Class. See the ad on this page for further information.

Jessica Kisiel, MS, is a local wellness professional specializing in injury recovery and pain management through alignment. She is certified by the Postural Restoration Institute®, Egoscue University®, NSCA, ACSM, ACE and Wellcoaches.