Physiotherapy for Compression of Guyon canal in the wrist

Curezone Physiotherapy, Mississauga collaborates with a team of providers such as Physiotherapist, Massage therapist, Chiropractor providing treatments in various musculoskeletal conditions including guyon’s canal compression.

Guyon Canal Syndrome is defined as a compression of a nerve that enters at the side of the wrist known as the distal ulnar nerve. That space that it enters through is called the ulnar tunnel or Guyon canal. This is a very rare condition and can travel down through the neck to the elbow passing under the forearm muscles then to the little finger along the side of the palm. This can be caused by sustained pressure, such as repetitive use of the gripping action of the fourth or fifth fingers, prolonged writing, or trauma from falling on the ulnar border of the wrist, etc.

Symptoms

• Feeling of pins and needles in the ring and little finger (usually starts in the morning)
• This feeling can usually progress to a burning pain in the wrist and hand
• The muscles that are controlled by the ulnar nerve become weak which also affect the muscles in the palm
• Someone who has this condition may find it difficult to spread their fingers or pinch with their thumb

Common Impairments

• Pain along the ulnar side of the palm of the hands and digits
• Progressive weakness or atrophy
• Little to no mobility in the finger flexor and extensor muscles
• May or may not have restriction of the pisiform (one of the bones that forms part of the wrist joint)

Common Functional Abilities assessed by the physiotherapist

Your physiotherapist can show you how best to use these home remedies and individualized exercises as part of your treatment plan. Our goal is to relieve your pain, minimize the stiffness and Restore normal function and mobility as soon as possible. Our registered physiotherapist at Curezone Physiotherapy is qualified physiotherapist for treating Wrist conditions and evaluates the patient’s recovery and works with the patient to develop an individualized treatment plan.

• Decreased grip strength
• Unable to use the fourth and fifth fingers for power grips
• Decreased ability to perform demanding activity

Physiotherapy Management at Curezone physiotherapy clinic Mississauga

• Education about how to modify demanding activities – avoid pressure to the base of the palm of the hand
• Avoid repetitive hand motions, heavy grasping, resting the palm against hard surfaces, and working with the wrist bent down and out
• Provide rest (with a cock-up splint)

Physiotherapy (Six-Eight Weeks)

• Physiotherapy sessions for recovery can take six to eight weeks and the full recovery can be expected in several months
• The first few exercises will be active hand movements and range-of-motion exercises.
• Ice packs, soft-tissue massage and hands-on stretching will also be used to assist with the range of motion
• Ultrasound can be used in the affected area by producing an electrical charge of ultrasonic waves. This gives heat to deep structures in the body that promotes the healing process
• Laser clusters and shots can also be used to reduce the inflammation and provide relief in the areas that are painful.
• Interferential current (IFC) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can be used in this condition by producing an electrical muscle stimulation passing through the skin to stimulate the tissues around the injured portion to promote pain relief
• Heat can be placed on the wrist or elbow to reduce muscle tension and joint stiffness – and is typically done before physiotherapy exercises to increase flexibility and range of motion
• To strengthen the hand, certain objects can be used such as a squeezing and stretching a putty
• As one progresses, exercises to help strengthen and stabilize the muscles and joints in the hand will be done – this is to get the hand working in ways that will enable one to perform their regular activities or work tasks
• Exercises that can be done are to move the wrist into extension and radial deviation then stretch into extension against the ring and little finger
• To move the nerve in a proximal direction, include forearm pronation and elbow flexion

Some of the Physiotherapy Exercises

• Forearm pronation
• Elbow flexion
• Shoulder abduction
• Glenohumeral lateral rotation
• Glenohumeral depression
• Hand and wrist mobilization
• Flexion
• Extension
• Radial deviation
• Ulnar deviation
• Grip strengthening exercise
• Squeezing a tennis or racket ball
• Standing cable row with a towel

Make sure you book your appointment today and get assessed by our physiotherapist now.