Frequently Asked Questions
What is FLEXTEND®?
FLEXTEND® is an exercise device that is used about 5-10 minutes daily to actively stretch and strengthen muscles in the hand and wrist, alleviating pressure on the Median nerve and eliminating the symptoms of Carpal tunnel Syndrome.
Does FLEXTEND® Really Work?
FLEXTEND® and the upgrade attachment kits have a very high success rate and are used around the world for the treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and many other Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI’s) affecting the upper extremity.
How Long Has FLEXTEND® Been On the Market
FLEXTEND® has been on the market since 1997 and has helped thousands of people around the world get back to work and continue doing they things they love in a PAINFREE environment.
Are There Any Studies on FLEXTEND®?
There have been a number of University tests as well as private and clinical tests, and all of them show that FLEXTEND® is highly successful at alleviating the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and more than ten (10) other Repetitive Strain injuries (RSI’s) .
My Doctor Has Never Heard of FLEXTEND® – Why Not?
Doctors prescribe pills and surgeons perform surgery. Each healthcare professional tends to know their occupation, and not those around them as there are millions of products, medicines and treatments available and doctors cannot keep up with everything. BSI’s approach to addressing the cause of injuries based on correcting existing muscle imbalances is also unique and has not been widely recognized until just the past few years.
Once the Exercise Program is Completed, Do I Perform a Maintenance Routine?
It is best to continue on an easy maintenance program one the initial symptoms have subsided. Many people only use FLEXTEND® if problems arise again, but it is recommended that once the program has been completed, the user should begin a maintenance program that consists of 3-days per week. This is optimal to keep the symptoms from returning. (The more you use your hands, the more likely an imbalance is to occur.) The details of the maintenance routines are listed in the instruction manual.
When Will I Begin to Notice Results?
Most people notice results in a matter of days, but it depends on the condition that is being addressed. Individuals with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome tend to recover much faster than those with Trigger Finger or Dupuytren’s Contracture. For those with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, they should be noticing improvement in symptoms by the 2nd week mark. For those with Trigger finger or Dupuytren’s Contracture, a noticeable reduction of their
symptoms may take 6-8 weeks.
In all disorders and injuries the recovery time is dependent on how long you’ve had the injury, the severity of the injury, the current level of the injury (acute, sub-acute or chronic), how much the injured area is still being used, the type of treatments that are or have already been tried, the body’s response to the exercises and the due diligence and exercise accuracy of the FLEXTEND® user. If you have questions, contact BSI’s Clinician Services for assistance. Send Email to: clinician@flextend.com
Money-Back Guarantee
We’re so confident you’ll find the Flextend Restore™ the solution for you. So sure, we’ll back it with a 30 day, money back guarantee! If you find that the Flextend Restore is not right for you, you’re more than welcome to return it at your expense. The product must be returned in like-new condition, free from damage with all packaging and accessories within 30 days of purchase.
To initiate the process, please first contact us & let us know of your intent to do so.
Once the Exercise Program is Completed, Do I Perform a Maintenance Routine?
It is best to continue on an easy maintenance program one the initial symptoms have subsided. Many people only use FLEXTEND® if problems arise again, but it is recommended that once the program has been completed, the user should begin a maintenance program that consists of 3-days per week. This is optimal to keep the symptoms from returning. (The more you use your hands, the more likely an imbalance is to occur.) The details of the maintenance routines are listed in the instruction manual.
How Do I Use FLEXTEND?
Review all instructional materials and be sure to follow the exercise program exactly as it is listed in the instruction manual, which includes the exercise sequence, the number of sets and repetitions, the amount of rest between sets, reaching appropriate levels of fatigue before the 20th repetition and the daily / weekly frequency!
What if I Have More than One Injury?
If you have more than one injury, address the injury that is most debilitating first. Once that program is completed you can move onto the second injury and so on. Note that the secondary injury symptoms usually disappear substantially as you treat the primary injury due to the fact that many of the exercises may cross-over from program to program.
Is it Important to Perform the Exercise Correct?
Yes, so be sure to perform the exercises just as they are shown in the online and print instructions. The exercises are easy to follow so do not over analyze them, just watch the exercise video(s) and/or look at the image “stills” along with the Important Tips so that you have a much faster recovery. Although the exercises are not complex, there are things that DO need to be done correctly, and other things that you do NOT want to do, if you want eliminate your symptoms as quickly as possible.
Does it Matter When or How I Perform The Exercise Program(s)?
Yes – Be consistent with your exercises and follow the exercise program exactly as outlined in the instructions, including the number of sets per exercise, the number of repetitions per set, the number of times per day as well as the number of days per week. Do not make-up your own routine or perform more than one program at a time.
What is muscle rebounding?
Muscle rebounding is a protective response that affects approximately 5% of FLEXTEND® users in first 1-2 weeks of starting the treatment program.
When an injury has been present for any significant length of time, the body perceives that it is “normal”, and that there is no existing injury, and any attempts to correct it causes the body to respond as if it is being injured.
The response mechanism of “rebounding” is results in muscle spasm / cramping, the feeling of needing massage or to stretch the fingers, wrist and elbow, and usually follows within 1-3 hours after performing the treatment exercises with FLEXTEND. This reaction tends to cause the individual to want to reduce the amount of exercises they are performing, which is in reality the exact opposite of what needs to take place. Every
time this response mechanism starts, the individual immediately needs to perform 2-3 sets of the basic Palm-Up Isolated exercise in order to counteract this response.
In a sense it is a “brainwashing” of the muscle to stop reacting as if it is being injured, and that every time the muscle rebounds it will be counteracted with active exercises / stretches. Once the muscle realizes it cannot go back to its original state, it will stop rebounding, and the normal program of 2x daily can be resumed without the rebounding affect taking place again.
Sizing
Men will typically purchase the glove size that they are currently wearing while women will order one size smaller than they would normally wear.
A custom or snug fit is best for a quick recovery. Measure the width of your palm for correct sizing.
Use the supplied chart to select your size.
Within 2-Hours of Doing the Exercises, my Hands Cramp-Up and My Condition Seems to Worsen – Is This Normal?
This response is called “nerve stretch” and is treatable.
The nerve stretch reflex response occurs when a nerve segment is trapped between soft-tissue and/or hard boney structures and is “overstretched. This mechanism usually only occurs in the Palm-Up Elbow Moving and the Thumb-Up Elbow Moving exercises as a result of the fingers and wrist being hyperextended when the elbow is in the fully extended position (arm is straight), as the flexor muscles are already in a stretched position, and when the fingers and wrist are hyperextended, the nerve becomes
“overstretched” and initiates nerve irritation and resulting pain.
The “stretch reflex” response does not tend to occur when performing the isolated exercises as the elbow is flexed and the finger, wrist and elbow flexor muscles are not in a stretched position, therefore the fingers and wrist can go into hyperextension without causing the nerve and/or flexor muscles to be overstretched.
If you do experience the symptoms of this condition, DO NOT STRETCH the flexor muscles located on the front of the forearm, and instead, perform 3-4sets of the Palm-Up Isolated Exercise which will counteract the muscle spasm, causing the muscles to relax and eliminate their contraction and impingement of the affected. (You can do these extra countering exercises up to 3-4 x per day in addition to your normal 2x per day routine.) NOTE: This condition affects less than 5% of all users and is corrected by following the instructions above. At the most, this condition will last 2-weeks until the muscles stop spasm, which occurs due to the immediate use of FLEXTEND® to counteract the spasm. Since the spasm is always counteracted every time it occurs, the body stops this response. (In a sense, you are tricking / brain-washing the body to stop this counterproductive response.)
Product Warranty
FLEXTEND® is guaranteed to withstand normal wear-and-tear for one (1) year from the date of purchase, not to include product abuse or neglect which we can tell upon inspection of the product. The warranty does not cover the resistance bands as it is common for this portion of the device to wear out due to use and/or overuse. Replacement resistance bands may be purchased directly through the manufacturer
