Effects of Anthropometric Measurements on Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between anthropometric hand/wrist measurements and outcomes following static wrist splintage in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

METHODS

Thirty nine patients with mild-to-moderate CTS were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements of hand and wrist including wrist width, wrist depth, palm length, hand length, wrist ratio (wrist depth/wrist width) and wrist/palm ratio (wrist depth/palm length) were recorded as well as body mass index and ultrasonographic cross sectional area of median nerve. Patients were treated with static wrist splints and evaluated at 2, 4 and 12 weeks with Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, median nerve nerve conduction studies, Visual Analog Scale for pain and Likert Scale for numbness.

RESULTS

Following treatment with a static wrist splint, the wrist ratio was correlated significantly with improvements in Boston Functional Status Scale at the second and forth weeks (r = -0.354, p = 0.027 and r = -0.320, p = 0.050 respectively) and Visual Analog Scale at the forth and 12 weeks (r = -0.352, p = 0.030 and r = -0.360, p = 0.029 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Splinting provides symptomatic improvement in mild-to-moderate CTS and this study suggests that the wrist anthropometric measurements may influence treatment outcomes.