Effectiveness of an Early Occupational Therapy Intervention in Post-Surgery Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patients
Abstract
Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent peripheral neuropathy affecting the upper limb, and Carpal Tunnel Release (CTR) is the preferred treatment for moderate to severe cases. This semi-experimental study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an early occupational therapy intervention for post-surgery patients with CTS.
Material and methods: Twenty women with idiopathic CTS who were surgery candidates were recruited and assessed before undergoing the surgery. After surgery, they were assigned to the intervention group (n=10) or control group (n=10). The control group received standard care, while the intervention group underwent an early occupational therapy intervention (10 sessions over 3 weeks). The range of motion, hand and pinch strength, and pain level were measured using a Goniometer, Hand Dynamometer, Pinch Gauge, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), respectively. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) evaluated symptom severity and hand function. To compare variables between groups, we used paired sample t-tests, independent t-tests, and Fisher's exact tests.
Results: The intervention led to significant improvements in wrist active flexion, two-point, and three-point pinch strength in the intervention group. Both groups had reduced pain intensity, with a significantly greater decrease in the intervention group. The intervention group also showed better results in symptom severity and functional status, with the improvement in symptom severity being significantly greater (p≤0.05).
Conclusions: Early occupational therapy following CTR is probably more effective than routine interventions in enhancing pinch strength and alleviating pain and symptoms. Nevertheless, randomized controlled trials are necessary to determine how long these benefits last.
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| Issue | Articles in Press | |
| Section | Research Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Carpal tunnel syndrome, Pinch Strength, Occupational therapy, Treatment outcome | ||
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