Early Motion Following Carpal Tunnel Release

Early Motion Following Carpal Tunnel Release, a Randomized Control Trial

To objectively and subjectively assess two modes of commonly employed rehabilitation and confirm a superior method to treat patients following carpal tunnel release.

One of the problems following carpal tunnel release (CTR) for carpal tunnel syndrome, and all hand surgeries, is the debilitation in the postoperative period. This relates to muscle atrophy and joint stiffness due to immobilization or relative inactivity in the postoperative period. Specifically, patients suffer increased days off from work, lost wages, and difficulties with activities of daily living affecting the patient and society at large. CTR is a very common procedure in hand surgery making it easy to study and important to optimize the postoperative care.

The surgical procedure, carpal tunnel release, will be performed in a standard open fashion. In a random fashion, the patients will be placed into either of two rehabilitation groups following CTR with specifically different postoperative instructions after the procedure.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome
• Recommended for carpal tunnel release

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe thenar weakness
• proximal neuropathy of the same arm.
• generalized peripheral neuropathy
• active psychiatric disorder
• chronic renal failure require dialysis
• reflex sympathetic dystrophy
• previous injury of affected wrist or median nerve
• simultaneous ipsilateral upper extremity surgery
• carpal tunnel syndrome with acute injury