Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, although previously considered an inury only affecting older adults, is becoming more and more common among the student age population. This is in part because CTS is caused by reptitive finger and hand use, especially when the positioning of the hand is improper, as is often the case when typing or writing regularly for long periods of time.

Other conditions, such as obesity, hypothyroidism, arthritis and pregnancy can also cause or exacerbate CTS.

Carpal Tunnel is marked by pain, numbness and tingling in the fingers, hand and wrist. Only the thumb, index, middle and ring finger are affected, as the nerve called the median nerve becomes compressed as it passes through the 'carpal tunnel', or the narrow passageway of bones and ligaments on the underside of the wrists.

There are some Carpal Tunnel Exercises that can be done to help ease the pain associated with CTS, starting with basic stretching of the back, shoulders, elbows, hands and wrists. If simple exercises and holistic treatments fail, sometimes doctors will recommend surgery, but it is usually a last resort.