How to Floss Your Nerves
Nerve flossing, also known as neural gliding, is an essential technique for maintaining and improving the health of your nervous system. Just like dental floss keeps your gums and teeth healthy, nerve flossing helps to keep your nerves functioning optimally by gently mobilizing them through their surrounding tissues. This practice can alleviate pain, enhance flexibility, and improve overall nerve function.
What is Nerve Flossing?
Nerve flossing involves a series of gentle, controlled movements designed to stretch and glide specific nerves through their pathways. This process helps to reduce adhesions, inflammation, and compression, thereby improving nerve mobility and reducing pain. Nerve flossing is particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and other nerve entrapment syndromes.
Benefits of Nerve Flossing
- Pain Relief: By reducing nerve compression and irritation, nerve flossing can alleviate chronic pain.
- Enhanced Mobility: Improved nerve gliding can lead to better movement and flexibility.
- Injury Prevention: Regular nerve flossing can prevent the development of adhesions and scar tissue, reducing the risk of nerve-related injuries.
- Improved Function: Ensuring your nerves move freely can enhance overall nervous system function, leading to better coordination and strength.
When and How Often to Floss Your Nerves
Incorporate nerve flossing into your routine when you experience symptoms like tingling, numbness, or shooting pain in your limbs. For preventive care, adding nerve flossing exercises 2-3 times a week to your fitness or rehabilitation routine can be highly beneficial. Each session should last about 5-10 minutes, focusing on the nerves most relevant to your activities or symptoms.
Step-by-Step Guide to Flossing Major Nerves
1. Median Nerve Flossing
- Position: Sit or stand with your arm extended to the side, palm facing up.
- Movement: Bend your wrist so your palm faces outward while keeping your arm extended. Simultaneously, tilt your head away from the extended arm. Lift your palm back to neutral for one repetition.
- Repetitions: Perform 10-15 repetitions per session, ensuring slow and controlled movements.
2. Ulnar Nerve Flossing
- Position: Extend your arm forward with your palm facing up.
- Movement: Bend your elbow and bring your pinky towards your ear while extending your fingers. As you do this, tilt your head towards the same side shoulder. Relax by extending the arm back out straight and tilting your head toward the opposite shoulder for one full repetition.
- Repetitions: Complete 10-15 repetitions, maintaining a gentle and steady motion.
3. Radial Nerve Flossing
- Position: Stand with your arm extended straight down by your side, palm facing back.
- Movement: Flex your wrist and pull your shoulder back into extension, maintaining the wrist flexion. Simultaneously, tilt your head away from the raised arm.
- Repetitions: Do 10-15 repetitions, focusing on smooth and fluid motions.
4. Femoral Nerve Flossing
- Position: Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg extended.
- Movement: Lift the extended leg slightly off the ground while flexing the knee towards your chest. Alternate between extending the leg and bringing the knee towards your chest.
- Repetitions: Perform 10-15 repetitions for each leg, keeping the movements controlled.
5. Sciatic Nerve Flossing
- Position: Sit on a chair with one leg extended straight out and the other foot flat on the ground.
- Movement: Flex your ankle so your toes point towards the ceiling, and then bend forward at the hip. Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Repetitions: Aim for 10-15 repetitions on each side, ensuring a gentle stretch without pain.
Conclusion
Incorporating nerve flossing into your routine can significantly enhance your nervous system health, reduce pain, and improve mobility. Always perform these exercises gently and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any underlying conditions or severe symptoms. Regular nerve flossing, combined with chiropractic care and massage therapy, can help you achieve optimal physical health and well-being. Ask our Buffalo chiropractors and massage therapists to show you how to floss your nerves at your next visit!
Bethany Wolcott
D’Youville Chiropractic ‘26
When it comes to filling a stocking, there’s something magical about tiny treasures that pack a big punch. Sure, candy canes and fuzzy socks are classics—but what if your stocking stuffers could actually make someone feel better long after the holiday sugar crashes fade? This year, level up your gifting game with wellness-forward, feel-good, wow-that’s-so-useful ideas curated with your favorite chiropractic and massage office in mind. Whether you’re shopping for the gym buff, the “my neck hurts every day” coworker, the parent who needs a moment of peace, or that friend who swears they’re finally going to prioritize self-care in the new year, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top stocking stuffers that are cute, practical, and chiropractor-approved.
Thanksgiving is the time of year when we pause to appreciate the big things—family, food, football, and maybe even a perfectly flaky pie crust. But there’s one thing we often forget to be grateful for: our bodies . Every day, your muscles, joints, and connective tissues do a whole lot more than you realize. They carry you through grocery store marathons, marathon-marathons, late-night study sessions, workdays, workouts, and everything in between. So this season, before you grab that second helping of mashed potatoes (no judgment here), take a moment to thank the parts of you that keep you moving. Here are five simple, meaningful ways to show your body a little gratitude—and feel better in the process.
If you’ve ever stood up after a long day at your desk and thought, “Why does my lower back feel like it’s been personally offended?”—you’re not alone. In fact, your posture may be telling a whole story. Enter Lower Cross Syndrome (LCS) : a common postural pattern that shows up when certain muscle groups decide to overachieve while others go on vacation. The good news? You can absolutely fix it—and your favorite chiropractic and massage team is here to help.
As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, winter brings cozy nights, comfort food, and—for many—an uptick in sniffles, coughs, and the flu. While we can’t control every germ that crosses our path, we can support our immune systems to better defend against them. A strong immune system is the body’s best defense against seasonal illnesses, and with a few intentional habits, you can give yours a well-deserved boost this winter. Let’s break down some evidence-based ways to keep your immune system in top shape through the colder months.
Fall in Buffalo is beautiful—the crisp air, the smell of bonfires, and, of course, the sea of colorful leaves blanketing your yard. But before you grab your rake and get to work, it’s worth talking about something most people don’t think about until it’s too late: the physical toll of yard work. Raking may seem harmless, but poor technique, repetitive motion, and improper lifting can lead to back pain, muscle strain, and even more serious injuries. Here’s what you should know about protecting your body during fall cleanup—and how chiropractic and massage care can help you recover and stay strong all season long.
Let’s play a quick game: When you think about staying healthy, what comes to mind? Eating veggies? Getting enough sleep? Maybe strength training or cardio? All great answers — but there’s a key piece many people forget…
8 Reasons You Should Get a Massage During Pregnancy
The Importance of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
We’ve all hit our “funny bone” before — that zinger of tingling pain shooting down your arm that you shake out. But when that sensation starts happening without bumping your elbow, it might not be so funny anymore. You could be dealing with something called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome — a condition that gives your ulnar nerve a bit too much attention for comfort. Let’s break down what’s going on inside that elbow of yours, what causes this pesky problem, how to treat it, and what you can do to keep your funny bone feeling more “fun” than “numb.”
We all know that a good night’s sleep can make or break your day. But what many people don’t realize is that the position you sleep in plays a huge role in how rested—and pain-free—you feel when you wake up. The way you lie in bed can either support your spine and muscles or set you up for stiffness, discomfort, and even long-term issues. As chiropractors and massage therapists, we see the effects of poor sleep posture every day. The good news? With a few simple tweaks, you can protect your spine, reduce strain, and get the most out of your nightly rest. In this post, we’ll break down the best ways to sleep on your back and side, why stomach sleeping isn’t your spine’s best friend, and how the right pillow can make all the difference.
