How to Choose a Carpal Tunnel Brace
What carpal tunnel syndrome patients need to know about braces and bracing
Many patients worsen their condition by wearing an improper brace - and/or at the wrong time.
Here's a must-read if your hands hurt worse after bracing.
Here's the Problem
Almost ALL pharmacy braces are
harmful if you have carpal tunnel
Are your hands worse after bracing? That's a sure sign that you're wearing an improper brace.
Patients often complain to me that their hands are worse after bracing.
When I inquire, they always say: "But I bought it from (Amazon, Walmart, CVS, etc.)."
The brace's package even says, "Great for Carpal Tunnel".
Sadly, this is mislabeling. All of these braces have fatal flaw for patients with carpal tunnel: they have a palmar spine (see below).
This "palmar spine" is the most harmful design flaw in the most popular drugstore braces.
A palmar spine is fine if you have other conditions, like a broken wrist or arthritis. But NOT carpal tunnel syndrome.
Manufacturers insert these rigid spines into the palm side of the brace to immobilize your wrist.
The spine applies added pressure to your carpal tunnel space. And the pressure is especially increased if you bend your hand backward.
That pressure is the LAST thing you want because it's what causes the pain, numbness, tingling, burning, shooting electric shocks, and weakness in the first place.
Amazon sells hundreds of carpal tunnel braces that have a palmar spine
Even an Ace brand brace labelled as Amazon's choice!
If you have a brace with a palmar spine, try and remove it.
But if you can't - stop using it.
You CANNOT trust the reviews. We guarantee the palmar spine in a brace does more harm and worsens your condition.
We feel so strongly about this that if you have questions -
contact Dr. Z. He WILL answer.
The vast majority of brace makers are in Asia. That's where your pharmacy gets them from.
Since the FDA cannot regulate them, they can lie, and claim anything (even harmful things) about their product.
That's why their braces claim to help so many ailments - from arthritis to fractures to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Only a Certified* carpal tunnel brace is safe to use. (*Certified by a panel of doctors specializing in hand disorders.)
See below for the list of
Certified braces and
harmful braces.
Bottom Line:
Stay away from pharmacy braces which contain a palmar spine
Dr. Z designed a 100% safe Certified Carpal Tunnel Night Brace
The rigid spines are on the sides of the hand, not the palmar surface.
The CarpalRx Carpal Tunnel Night Brace has lateral spines. It frees your palmar surface from pressure.
That means no more pain, numbness, soreness or tingling after wearing it.
It was recognized by the Southern Orthopedic Association as the "Best Brace Design". It is also "Certified safe to use with carpal tunnel" by a panel of doctors and hand specialists.
Also, never wear a brace during the daytime
Some doctors advise treating carpal tunnel by wearing a brace all the time.
This is 100% WRONG!
Some doctor advise bracing at night AND during the daytime. This is 100% wrong.
The problem is almost ALL braces are designed to RESTRICT hand movement. If you have carpal tunnel, you must NOT restrict hand motion while you are awake and active.
Why? With carpal tunnel, your hand is already sick & injured. Fighting a restrictive brace while going about your daily activities only makes your hand work harder.
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, just let your hand move freely during the daytime, even it if hurts a little.
Bottom Line:
Do NOT wear a brace during the daytime if you have carpal tunnel
The CarpalRx Day Brace is safe to use because it does not restrict your wrist.
It merely separates your wrist bones by elevating your thumb.
Wrist Braces to avoid if you have carpal tunnel
- Featol Wrist Brace Carpal Tunnel
- Zofore Sport
- DonJoy CXT & SXT Functional Wrist Braces
- ComfyBrace
- Ace Wrist Stabilizer
- Bauerfeind ManuTrain Wrist Brace
- Bauerfeind ManuLoc Wrist Brace
- FLA ProLite Wrist Splint with Abducted Thumb
- ProCare IMAK Pil-O-Wrist Splint
- Copper Fit Wrist Brace
- Mueller Sports Medicine Wrist Brace
- Bio Skin DP3 Cock-Up Wrist Brace
- DonJoy Neoprene Wrist Wrap
- Futuro Wrist
- Ace Night Wrist Sleep
- Bio Skin DP2 Cock-Up Wrist Brace
- DonJoy Contoured Wrist/Forearm Splint
- Hely and Weber Tiny Titan Thumb Wrist Brace
- ProCare Loop-Lock Cock-Up Splint
- Hely and Weber Titan Thumb Wrist Brace
- Medtherapies Lace-Up Wrist Brace
- FLA Uni-Fit Wrist Splint
- ProCare Foam Wrist Splint
- Don Joy Universal Wrist/Forearm Splint
- ProCare Quick-Fit W.T.O. Wrist/Thumb
- ProCare Cock-Up Wrist Splint
- AirCast A2 Wrist Stabilizing Brace
- Ossur Exoform Wrist Brace
- Bledsoe Wrist Lacer Wrist Brace
- Bledsoe Universal Wrist Lacer
- Zouyue Splint Wrist Brace