There might be times when you notice tingling or numbness in your hands and feet that just won’t go away. It could feel like pins and needles or a dull ache. These sensations can be annoying and may even make it hard to do the things you want to do.
It might be nerve pain that’s causing your symptoms, and a gentle technique called nerve flossing might help. “Nerve flossing is a range of motion technique for your nerve. Moving or ‘flossing’ it back and forth improves its ability to move,” said Julie Barnett, a physical therapist with Banner Physical Therapy.
With nerve flossing, also called neural gliding or nerve gliding, you use simple exercises to stretch and move your nerves in order to reduce pain and improve mobility.
How nerve flossing works
Sometimes, your muscles or bones compress or trap your nerves. When your nerves can’t move, you might notice pain, tingling, numbness or less mobility than usual.
Nerve flossing stretches and mobilizes the nerves, so they glide smoothly through their natural pathways. It also helps the fluid inside nerve cells flow more easily. The movement helps reduce tension and pressure on the nerves so they can move and transmit nerve signals better so you can have less pain.
It can improve your mobility, flexibility and range of motion, so you have better posture and you’re less likely to compress or injure your nerves. Regular nerve flossing may help keep your nerves healthy and prevent nerve pain in the future.
When nerve flossing might help
“Each nerve follows a specific course that determines how to move the nerve and which joints they help move or stabilize,” Barnett said. Nerve flossing may be a good choice for the tingling, numbness and pain of these nerve-related issues:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: This condition occurs when the nerve that runs from your forearm into the palm of your hand gets compressed at the wrist.
- Cubital tunnel syndrome: With this condition, the nerve that runs along the inside of the elbow gets compressed or irritated. It can cause numbness and tingling in the ring and little fingers and pain in the forearm.
- Sciatica: Sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hips and down the back of each leg. This condition often stems from a herniated disk or bone spur pressing on the nerve.
How to do it
Nerve flossing looks a lot like stretching, but the movements are slower and more specific. With nerve flossing, you don’t push your range of motion, since nerves are delicate. Instead, you put some tension on one side of the nerve and relax the area on the other side.
Nerve flossing exercises are easy to do since you don’t need any equipment. You can do the exercises anywhere you have some comfortable space to move around.
Nerve flossing for carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve)
- Sit or stand with your arms at your sides.
- On the side where you’re having symptoms, press your shoulder blade down. Bend your elbow so your forearm is alongside your upper arm facing toward you, your wrist is bent back and your fingers are straight and reaching away from you, with your palm facing up.
- Slowly and in a comfortable range, straighten your elbow so that your forearm moves away from you, your arm is straight out from your side and your fingers point down toward the floor. You should feel a stretch in your arm and perhaps into your thumb and index finger.
- Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Over time as you progress, slowly tilt your head away and back up straight while you’re moving your arm.
Nerve flossing for cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve)
- Sit or stand with your arms at your sides.
- On the side where you’re having symptoms, press your shoulder blade down. Raise your arm out to your side with the elbow straight, fingers and wrist straight and palm facing down.
- Slowly and in a comfortable range, bend your elbow so your forearm is alongside your upper arm facing away from you, your wrist is straight and your fingers are straight, with your palm facing up
- You should feel a stretch in your arm and perhaps into your small finger.
- Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Over time as you progress, slowly tilt your head away and back up straight while you’re moving your arm.
Nerve flossing for sciatica
- Sit on a supportive chair and straighten one knee as far as you can with your toes pointed.
- Slowly flex your foot, pulling your toes toward your head, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 10 to 15 times.
- Over time as you progress, slightly slump your body by flexing your trunk and neck. Then straighten one knee as far as you can with your toes pointed. Next, flex your foot, straighten your trunk, pause, re-slump your trunk, point your foot and repeat.
Tips:
- Start with gentle movements and gradually increase the range and intensity as you feel more comfortable.
- Avoid any movements that cause pain or discomfort. Stick to a range of motion that feels good to you.
- Make sure your movements are slow and controlled. Jerking or sudden motions could irritate your nerves.
- Listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain or discomfort.
- Consult a physical therapist if you’d like guidance on doing nerve flossing exercises correctly.
Nerve flossing may also help with:
- Pinched nerves in the neck or back
- Thoracic outlet syndrome, where nerves that run from the neck to the armpit are compressed
- Chronic hamstring injuries
- Plantar fasciitis
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome, which is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but occurs in the foot and ankle
A physical therapist can show you how to perform nerve flossing for these conditions.
If you’ve been practicing nerve flossing for a while and your symptoms aren’t improving or they’re getting worse, talk to a health care provider. You may have an issue that needs professional evaluation and treatment.
A provider can diagnose your symptoms and confirm whether nerve flossing is right for your condition or if you need other treatments. They can offer advice tailored to your needs and condition so you can manage your nerve pain safely and effectively.
When nerve flossing might not be the right choice
Nerve flossing can be helpful, but it’s not right for everyone or all conditions:
- Stop if you have pain, sharp discomfort or more tingling with nerve flossing exercises. The exercises might be making your condition worse.
- Avoid nerve flossing if you’ve recently injured yourself or had surgery. Your health care provider can tell you when you can start nerve flossing safely.
- If you have severe inflammation from conditions like acute bursitis or tendinitis, wait until the inflammation goes down. Otherwise, nerve flossing could make it worse.
- If you have medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, complex regional pain syndrome or other conditions that affect your nervous system, talk to your health care provider before starting nerve flossing exercises.
The bottom line
If you have tingling or pain in your hands or feet, nerve flossing might help. Nerve flossing gently helps your nerve glide and move more freely. It can make a difference with a lot of nerve-related conditions, but it’s not always the right choice.
To find out if nerve flossing might work for you, talk to an expert at Banner Health.
