Manual therapy and the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review.

Item

Title
Manual therapy and the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review.
Title
Manual therapy and the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review.
Author(s)
Whalley Roger
Abstract
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of manual therapy as a healthcare intervention for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Design: Systematic Review. Methods: Systematic computerized and hand literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which manual therapy was used to treat CTS, evaluated using methodological quality criteria. Methodological quality/risk of bias of included trials was evaluated by the reviewer using two validated assessment tools. Results: 10 trials met inclusion criteria. Reviewed trials explored highly heterogeneous interventions involving manipulation, nerve gliding, splinting, exercises, massage, and combinations of the above. Population characteristics, interventions and outcome measures were highly heterogeneous, making reliable conclusions on manual therapy efficacy harder to draw. Discrepancies arose regarding quality of studies between the two assessment tools. Conclusions: Reviewed trials lacked methodological homogeneity and varied highly in methodological quality. Population sizes were small and follow-up was short-term. The underlying aetiology of CTS is not fully understood. Functional symptom scale was the only outcome measure reaching statistical significance (p
Abstract
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of manual therapy as a healthcare intervention for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Design: Systematic Review. Methods: Systematic computerized and hand literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which manual therapy was used to treat CTS, evaluated using methodological quality criteria. Methodological quality/risk of bias of included trials was evaluated by the reviewer using two validated assessment tools. Results: 10 trials met inclusion criteria. Reviewed trials explored highly heterogeneous interventions involving manipulation, nerve gliding, splinting, exercises, massage, and combinations of the above. Population characteristics, interventions and outcome measures were highly heterogeneous, making reliable conclusions on manual therapy efficacy harder to draw. Discrepancies arose regarding quality of studies between the two assessment tools. Conclusions: Reviewed trials lacked methodological homogeneity and varied highly in methodological quality. Population sizes were small and follow-up was short-term. The underlying aetiology of CTS is not fully understood. Functional symptom scale was the only outcome measure reaching statistical significance (p
Date Accepted
2011
Date Submitted
3.2.2012 00:00:00
Type
osteo_thesis
Language
English
Pub-Identifier
15117
Inst-Identifier
780
Keywords
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Manual Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trial; Systematic Review
Recommended
0
Item sets
Thesis

Whalley Roger, “Manual therapy and the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 1, 2025, https://www.osteopathic-research.com/s/orw/item/1723