Cause of Symptoms: The finger flexors and finger adductor muscles are constantly overused in uni-directional movement patterns, (Gripping, squeezing, typing, etc.) therefore making them stronger, shorter and tighter than the extensor muscles. The result is a “muscle imbalance” between these two groups of muscles, causing the flexor muscles to impinge the underlyhing soft-tissue structures, including blood vessels and the median nerve.

Treatment of Symptoms: FLEXTEND® may help reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome by eliminating the muscle imbalance that causes compression of the median nerve. The FLEXTEND® exercises are specifically designed to strengthen all of the extensor muscles and tendons in the forearm in multiple planes of motion. All of the exercises isolate these muscles in different ways, providing specific, yet total involvement of the extensor muscle group. Combining the lengthening effects of FLEXTEND® on the flexor muscles and tendons and the strengthening effect of the exercises on the extensor muscles and tendons, allows the easing of external pressures on the underlying soft-tissue structures within the finger, hand, wrist and elbow joints. This in turn, decreases pressure on the underlying blood vessels and allows normal blood / oxygen transport to be regained. The strengthened extensor muscles can also help prevent the flexors from overpowering them in such a way as to create abnormal flexed postural positions of the fingers and wrist, which also increases pressures on the soft-tissue structures within the wrist joint. FLEXTEND® also increases strength, endurance, flexibility and stability of the fingers, hand, wrist and elbow.