Kinesiotaping in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Karadeniz Technical University60 enrolled

Overview

Objective: Kinesiotaping (KT) is a relatively new technique, which reduces the pressure on the median nerve by extending the transverse carpal ligament. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of KT on Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a randomized, placebo-controlled manner. Methods: Patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1 (KT plus tendon and nerve gliding exercises), Group 2 (sham-taping plus exercises) and Group 3 (exercises alone, control group). KT was applied 3 times with 5-day intervals throughout the study, with "neural technique" for median and ulnar nerves and "area correction technique" for carpal tunnel releasing. In the placebo group kinesiotapes were applied without stretching and proper position. Hand grip strength, VAS, Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ), and Short Form-12 (SF-12) were measured as outcome parameters at the first visit, 3rd and 6th week.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Interventions

Kinesiotape, when applied with a specific method and tension, significantly reduces the pressure on the median nerve by extending the transverse carpal ligament. It regulates edema under the skin and improves lymphatic and blood circulation. It reduces muscle spasms, eases the movement of tendons and fascia, and reduces pain through neurological suppression

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * clicical diagnosis of mild and moderate CTS * having the CTS symptoms for at least 6 weeks Exclusion Criteria: * electrophysiological diagnosis of severe CTS, * thenar atrophy, * local corticosteroid injection or KT application or physical therapy treatment for CTS within the last 3 months, * patients with secondary metabolic causes for CTS (such as diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, thyroid disease), * patients with other conditions that may cause neck and arm pain (cervical disc hernia, arthritis, epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome), * a history of fracture in the wrist, * previous CTS surgery.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

pain level

pain level was assessed using visual analog scale.The minimum and maximum values were 0 and 10, and higher scores mean a better outcome.

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ)

The BCTQ is a disease specific questionnaire to evaluate the symptom severity and functional capacity. High scores indicate increased symtom severity and low functional capacity

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks