As always with Applied Kinesiology we are looking to find what is not functioning in the body and through directed therapy get it working again. In the wrist the most overlooked dysfunction occurs with the pronator quadratus muscle. This is a little muscle that connects the radius and ulna (the two long bones of the wrist) right before the base of the hand. The motion the pronator quadratus helps with is pronation of the wrist and hand. To feel this motion put your hand on the desk facing the ceiling and then turn it so that the palm is facing the desk top. The motion of putting your palm down on the desk is pronation. Another major function of the pronator quadratus is to hold the radius and ulna together helping to form the carpal tunnel.
When pronator quadratus becomes damaged through excessive twisting, falling on the hand or repetitive motion, dysfunction at the carpal tunnel is common. As the radius and ulna begin to separate it causes compression of the median nerve and weakness in the hand. This is often the main cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. You can also have pain at the wrist directly that lingers for months. A common symptom is no pain in the hand or wrist but nagging neck pain that does not improve with adjustments or exercise. The compression of the median nerve in the wrist can cause the neck to become fixated!
Simple exercises, manual therapy to the muscle, adjustment to the spine and time are needed to fully fix this problem. Knowing that the pronator quadratus can be a problem and being able to test if it is the cause of your symptoms is the strength of Applied Kinesiology.
