Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, also known as Ulnar Nerve Entrapment, refers to pain, tingling and numbness caused by compression or irritation of the Ulnar nerve as it passes through the elbow joint. This typically happens due to prolonged elbow flexion or another combination of factors.
Nerve gliding exercises help promote mobility of the nerve to relieve symptoms associated with cubital tunnel syndrome. Your physical therapist can recommend exercises that will decrease pressure on your ulnar nerve.
Elbow Flexion and Wrist Extension
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome causes pain or numbness in your wrist and fingers. This condition occurs when an ulnar nerve becomes compressed within the narrow openings of an elbow tunnel and Guyon’s canal at the wrist – often from repetitive activities, sleeping on your elbow while at work and leaning against it while sleeping and/or leaning against it while sleeping and working at desk. You can alleviate symptoms with over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), wearing padded elbow splint at night or exercising both elbow and wrist regularly.
Some doctors believe that performing elbow flexion exercises, commonly referred to as Nerve Gliding Exercise, can alleviate symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome by helping the ulnar nerve pass more freely through its path and into your hand. These exercises involve flexing both elbow and wrist forward away from your body using various muscles including the third palmar interosseous muscle of your wrist flexors for support during this exercise.
Beginning with a light resistance band, gradually increase resistance over time until you are performing 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions daily – you could also use hand weights but heavier ones may increase injury risk.
Be cautious not to overexert your wrist and elbow when performing exercises, especially if you recently underwent surgery. Follow all instructions given by your physician or physical therapist when performing your routines.
One way of relieving discomfort is with a heating pad. Apply it over the affected area for 20 minutes at a time up to four times daily until relief comes.
Elbow flexion and wrist extension exercises can be critical in protecting the ulnar nerve in your elbow, so it is recommended that these be performed post surgery by either yourself or by a physical therapist.
If you are uncertain of your ability to perform the flexion and extension exercises daily, or how often to perform them, consult with a medical provider. They can create a personalized plan to treat cubital tunnel syndrome faster.
Elbow Extension with Wrist Curl
Many individuals suffer from cubital tunnel syndrome, caused by pressure or stretching on the ulnar nerve (commonly referred to as “funny bone”) that results in pain, tingling and weakness in your ring and small fingers. When bent arms cause it to snap back-and-forth over bony bumps at elbow, irritating nerve. For others it becomes compressed from leaning on their elbow too long or sleeping with it bent, leading to cubital tunnel syndrome with symptoms including numbness or tingling ring/small fingers with weak grip strength resulting in symptoms similar to cubital tunnel syndrome.
Mild to moderate cubital tunnel syndrome can usually be managed without surgery. A physical therapist will assist in identifying activities that trigger symptoms and provide ways of limiting them so your nerve can rest and recover, while also offering range-of-motion exercises and strengthening programs to increase mobility.
Nerve gliding exercises may also help alleviate pain associated with cubital tunnel syndrome. Swelling or adhesions along the ulnar nerve path may limit mobility, leading to it getting stuck in one position and restricting its range. By encouraging movement of wrist and elbow joints, nerve gliding exercises may stretch out nerves more freely while improving movement through cubital tunnel and decreasing pain levels.
For this exercise, sit up tall in a chair with your feet hip-distance apart with knees flat on the ground. Hold two towels with palms facing down in both hands – enough space between them so as to not interfere with movement – then extend your left elbow toward your body, gradually curling fingers into fists until holding briefly before slowly uncurling back out again and repeating for multiple sets.
You can perform this exercise lying down or standing, depending on which is more comfortable for you. Hold out one arm straight to the side, with its shoulder level. Turn palm upward toward ceiling. If this becomes uncomfortable for you, bend elbow slightly then slowly extend backward.
Elbow Flexion and Wrist Extension with Head Tilt
When working or participating in activities that require repetitive elbow movements or prolonged periods with your arm bent, cubital tunnel syndrome is an increased risk. Its cause lies in increased pressure being applied on the ulnar nerve that runs down from your neck through the arm and wrist to your hand and its compression causes pain and numbness in elbow, wrist and finger areas. Physical therapy exercises – specifically nerve gliding exercises – may help decrease these symptoms.
Nerve gliding is an exercise designed to assist the ulnar nerve in its path through its passageways at the elbow and wrist. The nerve passes through two vulnerable spots on either end – Guyon’s canal at the elbow and cubital tunnel on either wrist – that are particularly susceptible to compression; these tiny openings make nerve passage vulnerable and repetitive actions such as typing can irritate it as can long periods of leaning on an elbow for extended periods. These actions could cause symptoms like numbness, tingling or pain throughout these three parts.
For this stretch, sit comfortably on a firm chair and extend your affected elbow in front of you while keeping it straight. Keep your chin leveled while slowly tilting it away from the palm of your hand; hold this position for 15 seconds at a time before repeating several times each day.
The ulnar nerve is commonly known as the funny bone as it often hits this area when people hit their elbow on something or fall onto it, or feel a light shock or bump into it. Cubital tunnel syndrome symptoms include pain on the inside of your elbow as well as tingling in little and ring fingers of both hands.
Some individuals are more at risk for cubital tunnel syndrome than others due to the lower resiliency of their ulnar nerve, making it more vulnerable to irritation or compression by its limited passageways in olecranon fossa and Guyon’s canal at the elbow.
Elbow Flexion and Wrist Extension with Wrist Curl
One of the primary nerves supplying the hand (known as the funny bone nerve) travels through a passage known as the cubital tunnel at the elbow. This passage has no padding and lies close to skin, making it extremely sensitive. If this narrow passage gets compressed or stretched out of shape it can lead to cubital Tunnel Syndrome: pain and numbness in ring and little fingers of hand resulting from nerve impingement in this space.
People working desk jobs are especially susceptible to this condition as they frequently lean on their elbows while sitting for extended periods. This causes compression of the ulnar nerve which may eventually cause pain, numbness and tingling in ring and little fingers. Furthermore, sleeping with bent elbows puts additional strain on this nerve over time.
Some health professionals believe that performing movements designed to help the ulnar nerve smoothly move through Guyon’s canal and cubital tunnel can alleviate symptoms, known as nerve gliding exercises.
Hold or sit comfortably, stretching one arm out straight at your side with palm up, with its palm facing upward. Gently and slowly bend your wrist toward the floor as if forming a fist without experiencing pain; hold this position for several seconds before returning slowly back to starting point and repeat this exercise several times daily.
If conservative treatments fail to alleviate pressure on the ulnar nerve, surgical decompression may be necessary to release tension on it. Your orthopaedic surgeon will discuss this option with you if necessary.
As the elbow, wrist and hand work closely together, it’s crucial that these three areas undergo routine strengthening exercises. By strengthening these areas properly with appropriate programs such as those offered at Hand and Wrist Institute of Southlake’s strengthening programs for elbow, wrist and hand strengthening programs you can prevent injuries to muscles, joints and tendons that support them – keeping you safe! For more information about their strengthening programs contact them.
