My name is Marilyn Baker, and I have horrible allergies. I’m 42 years old and have been suffering from allergies since I was a child. I have seasonal and environmental allergies. Allergies plague me year round. When I was young, my parents even moved to a dryer area in the hope of helping me. Over the past eight years, I have done extensive research both through doctors and online. I have managed to come up with some combinations that have helped me a great deal. My allergies aren’t gone, but they have become manageable. I do have to have allergy shots, but I also use some natural remedies. I am happy to be able to share my findings with you here on my blog. I hope you can find some of this of value.
Gymnasts are at risk of many different injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome can make it hard for you to hold a pen, let alone do a handstand or train on the uneven bars. Here are three things gymnasts need to know about carpal tunnel syndrome.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve—a nerve that starts in your forearm and ends in your hand—gets compressed. The median nerve needs to pass through a structure in your wrist known as the carpal tunnel to get into your hand, and this area is where the compression occurs.
If you develop this injury, you'll feel a pins and needles sensation in one or both of your hands or pain in your wrists. Outside of the gym, you may notice that you're dropping objects often or that you're having trouble doing things like typing. Inside the gym, you may not be able to hold onto the bars any more and may not be able to put any weight on your hands during flips.
How does carpal tunnel syndrome occur?
Anything that narrows your carpal tunnel space can compress the nerve and lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, falling with your hand outstretched during a routine can break a bone in your wrist, which can compress the carpal tunnel space. Other wrist injuries, like sprains, can also lead to inflammation around the nerve which can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
How is carpal tunnel syndrome treated?
Your doctor may tell you to stop doing any activities that are irritating your wrists, including gymnastics. If you need to maintain your cardiovascular fitness for an upcoming competition, ask your doctor what exercises you can do instead.
Icing your wrists can help to control inflammation, so your doctor may tell you to hold ice packs against your sore wrists for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. A wrist splint may also be recommended to keep your wrist straight and in a neutral position.
Once your wrists are feeling better, you may notice that they're weaker and less flexible than they were before your injury—a big problem for a gymnast! A physiotherapist can teach you exercises that can help you get your wrists back to where you need them to be.
If your hands are tingling, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome and should stop training and see your doctor for treatment and rehabilitation.
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