By Catherine CHUA Bee Hong Senior Principal Physiotherapist, Elizabeth CHAN Jiahui Principal Physiotherapist, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Exercising during pregnancy comes with many benefits, including promoting muscle strength and endurance to meet the physical demands of pregnancy. It can also help control your blood glucose levels and blood pressure. Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise programmes. Ensure you avoid hot conditions, keep hydrated, and wear comfortable attire while exercising.

If you haven't been exercising regularly before pregnancy, start with an easy 15 minutes of activity a day. Then gradually increase that to 30 minutes a day, five to seven days a week.

Carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy can lead to stiffness and swelling around the wrist joint. Wrist extension stretches can help improve the flexibility of the wrist joint.

Here are the steps for the wrist extension stretches:

Extend your elbow to hold your arm straight in front of you. Stretch your wrist backwards and press the fingers and palm towards you with your other hand. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds and change to the other arm. Do 10 repetitions of this exercise on both arms.

Copyright © 2016 HealthHub.sg. All rights reserved.

Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides for a healthy pregnancy.

Read these next:

​Source:

The New Art and Science of Pregnancy and Childbirth 2008, World Scientific

Healthy Start for your Pregnancy 2012, Health Promotion Board Singapore