Carpal tunel syndrome and weight training?

[umass]

I am wondering if anyone has experience with weight training and carpal tunel? My girlfriend has been weight training for awhile, but her carpal tunel has gotten quite bad lately. I am trying to formulate a low impact routine for her atleast until her wrist is functional. As far as out of the gym goes she is using a wrist brace for immobilization and taking anti-inflamitories. All comments and help is greatly appreciated.

[umass]

I should add that the cause is from work and not weight lifting, but I think the fact that it has flared up is due to typing, writing and weightlifting

[Bill Hartman]

You'll need to avoid any aggrevating activities including weight training is necessary. Any repetitive or strong grip activities will be aggrevating.

What type of job does she have that aggrevates symptoms?

What treatment has she had so far?

What stretches is she doing? How often (frequency needs to be very high)?

Bill

[umass]

She used to work for starbucks and the working espresso machine is what started it, but her job right now is answering phone. I should have mentioned that she is a student and so the typing and writing is the biggest source of agrevation.

For treatment, she doesnt have insurance right now, but I have a decent medical background and my father is also a doctor. So, current treatment is immobilization, ibuprofien as needed, and I have her reevaluating her mechanics for typing and writing, things such as keeping wrists staight when typing and not using a death grip on her pens, both thing she isnt very good at. I've read and heard personal accounts that suggest this treatment may be enough

Honestly I hadn't even thought of stretching.

She is going to take a few rest days from weightlifting, and next week I think I'll have her doing activities that dont affect the wrist or maybe just have her take a rest week.
Thanks for your reply
-Ned-

[Bulking Up]

I have a few of the same questions. My wife has carpel tunnel, and she has to wear braces periodically when it flares up. She cannot do pullups because it hurts her too much to grip the bar. What is the best alternative exercise to pullups that will not aggrevate the carpel tunnel? ALso, what are specific stretches she could be doing? Thanks for any help!
BU

[Bill Hartman]

Try this for starters...
http://www.mtsu.edu/~athtrain/atep/4...paltunnel.html

Better...
http://www.carpaltunnelspecialists.com/Exercises.php

High frequency of stretching of about 1 stretch every 15 minutes, especially when typing or gripping activities are performed.

Bill