• Sharp pain or general ache on the front side of the hands /wrists.
• Tingling, numbness or paresthesia (Pins & needles) affecting the thumb, index, middle and sometimes one-half of the ring finger.
• Feeling the “NEED / DESIRE” to stretch the hands all the time.
• Loss of coordination and control.

In most cases, CTS results from a muscle imbalance caused from the overuse of the finger /wrist flexor muscles and the finger adductor muscles in specific unidirectional movement patterns, (Gripping, squeezing, typing, etc.) These activities create a muscle imbalance that cause the carpal tunnel to become too narrow and pinch the flexor tendons and median nerve within. Once they begin operating (moving back and forth) in such a small space, the tendons and nerves become irritated and inflamed due to the increased amount of friction.

The irritated, inflamed nerve is a secondary response to the fact that the weak finger/wrist extensor muscles, are not holding the carpal tunnel open so there is enough room or the flexor tendons and median nerve to move normally.

Once the weak muscles are strengthened (finger/ wrist extensors, finger abductors, interosseous and lumbricals are strengthened) the carpal “tunnel” expands outward to the point where enough ligamentous pressure is applied to the carpal bones where they meet their end range-of-motion (EROM). Once this point is reached with all eight carpal bones due to the expansive pressure, the carpal tunnel has reached a level of stability and the symptoms simply disappear because the carpal tunnel / canal is finally OPEN!

The Symptoms of DeQuervain’s Syndrome include:

• Sharp, stabbing pain in the muscle belly of the thenar eminence or an overall general ache at The insertion point of the extensor pollicis brevis.
• And/or general ache at the base of the thumb MP joint / CMC joint
• Pain along the back/medial side of the thumb.

DeQuervain’s is most often caused by repetitive and/or static flexion of the thumb resulting from overuse, direct injury / trauma and certain inflammatory conditions, such as gout , rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes can activate the disorder. Both workplace and recreational activities may cause DeQuervain’s Syndrome and it affects women 8-10 times more often than men.

FLEXTEND® – RESTORE™ exercises correct DeQuervain’s Syndrome by increasing the length of the short, restricted adductor and flexor tendons of the thumb, and by increase the strength and stability of the weak abductor and extensor tendons of the thumb. Addressing the muscle / joint imbalance greatly reduces the pain and dysfunction of Dequervain’s Syndrome by reducing laxity in the joint and restoring stability, range of motion, endurance and strength to the affected joint.

• Pain directly on the medial epicondyle of the elbow joint, located on the inside of the elbow, either at the tenoperiosteal junction where the tendon attaches to the bone, or at the musculotendinous junction where muscle and tendon attach together 1-2 inches below the elbow joint on the medial side when the hand is in the palm-up position.
• Weakness and pain on the inside of the elbow when the hand/wrist is flexed against resistance
• Pain on the inside of the elbow when trying to flex/bend the fingers against resistance.
• Painresulting in weakness when gripping an object (i.e. Shaking hands).

Golfer’s Elbow is most often caused by direct or repeated or forced overstretching of the flexor muscles, causing microtears, irritation and inflammation to the soft tissues. These microtears arise because the flexor muscles are extremely tight and restrictive from constant overuse, and if forced into hyperextension or “overstretched”, the tendons give out at their weakest point, which are the musculotendinous junction and the tenoperiosteal junction.

When treating Golfer’s Elbow, it is important to create overall muscle balance and stability around the entire joint by relaxing tight restrictive segments of the flexor muscles, but also strengthening other weak, injured segments of the same flexor group. Treating this disorder is a bit tricky as the goal is to achieve two different things for the same muscle group.

This is where FLEXTEND® – RESTORE™ comes in, as it helps increase the length and mobility of the flexor muscles, but also strengthen the weak, damaged segments of the same muscle group. It also works to shorten/strengthen the extensor muscles, providing complete stability around both the wrist and elbow joints. The gentle stretching and strengthening exercises allowed with the use of FLEXTEND® – RESTORE™ can help you get back to doing these things you want, and without pain!

• Pain, dysfuction and lack of coordination and control.
• Numbness, tingling and paresthesia (pins and needles) affecting one-half of the ring finger and the pinkie finger.
• Weakness in the ring and pinkie may be present along with pain on the ulnar side of the wrist (ulnocarpal joint).

Guyon’s Syndrome is generally caused by impingement of the ulnar nerve on the pinkie-side of the wrist joint as it passes through the guyon’s Canal / Tunnel, due to the strong, short, overused, compressive flexor, pronator and ulnar deviator muscles of the wrist.

FLEXTEND® helps reduce compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist junction by stretching the overly tight, compressive flexor, pronator and ulnar deviators of the wrist by strengthening the extensors, supinators and radial deviators of the wrist.

Repetitive Strain Injury symptoms include:

The symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury of the wrist include tightness, discomfort, stiffness, general ache and/or stabbing pain on the backsides of the hands and forearms along with the feeling of needing to massage and/or stretch the hands, wrists and forearms.

These symptoms are a result of the weak finger and wrist extensor muscles attempting to counteract the tensile strain imposed by the strong, tight flexor muscles in order to maintain the carpal and metacarpal bones in their proper positions.

FLEXTEND® – RESTORE™ can help eliminate symptoms by correcting the existing muscle imbalance and improving the power, strength, endurance of extensor muscles at the origin and insertion points, reducing pain and spasm in the backsides of hands, wrists and forearms.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome symptoms include:

The symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome include pain, numbness, tingling and paresthesia (pins and needles) in the thumb, index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers as well as the entire hand. Symptoms may be presented in the forearms and upper arms as well.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome results from the compression of the Brachial Plexus that lies between the upper pectoral muscles and the clavicle (collar bone). This compression occurs due to the overly tight restrictive pectoral muscles, specifically the pec minor and upper division of the pec major) and anterior shoulder muscles squeezing down on Brachial Plexus while the anterior scalene muscles lift up the first and second ribs, impinging the Brachial Plexus. The Brachial Plexus resembles a phone cable carrying several lines, which include the median, ulnar and radial nerves.

The FLEXTEND® – RESTORE™ with AC-KIT helps to reduce symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome by stretching and lengthening the overly tight, restrictive deltoid and pectoral muscles, thereby reducing compression of the Brachial Plexus. It also simultaneously strengthens the antagonist muscles in order to help maintain the length created from stretching the pectoral and anterior deltoid muscles.

One of the most common symptoms associated with Trigger Thumb is the “snapping” or “locking” of the PIP joint of the thumb, and second, the “snapping” or “locking” of the MP joint of the thumb into the palm of the hand. This most common symptom is experienced due to an adhesion or nodule that has developed on the thumb flexor tendon, most often resulting from scar tissue that has developed due to micro tears of the tendon.

Trigger Thumb, or stenosing tenosynovitis, can result from micro-tears by either direct trauma or chronic overuse. The flexor pollicis longus tendon develops nodules / adhesions on it, which leads to increased friction as the tendon passes through the pulley system, resulting in the irritation and swelling of the tendon, its sheath and the associated nodules on the tendon. This irritation / inflammation cycle increases the size of the nodules or adhesions, causing the dysfunction to greatly increase as the thumb is flexed over and over.

Essentially, the nodule or adhesion on the affected tendon in the thumb gets trapped as it passes through the pulley system as the thumb is flexed but the thumb cannot return via extension in the same smooth manner due to the adhesion or nodule getting stuck or “catching” as it tries to pass back through the pulley system. Because of this, the thumb tends to lock down into the palm of the hand as well as produces painful catching or clicking that is commonly associated with Trigger Thumb.

Performing corrective exercises with FLEXTEND® / RESTORE™ can reduce scar tissue on the tendon as well as help stretch and thin the tendon, allowing it to move freely through the pulley system. This training system is very simple and effective therapy, taking just minutes per day.