Review article (meta-analysis)Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Part I: Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Treatments–A Systematic Review
Section snippets
Search Strategy
A search of relevant systematic reviews on CTS was performed in the Cochrane Library. In addition, relevant reviews and RCTs in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PEDro were searched (1) for interventions included in the systematic reviews from the date of the search strategy of the review up to January 2010 (ie, recent RCTs), and (2) from the beginning of the database to January 2010 (ie, additional RCTs).
Key words related to the disorder such as “carpal tunnel syndrome,” “median nerve entrapment,”
Characteristics of the Included Studies
The initial literature search resulted in the identification of 4 systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library and 47 reviews (7 from PubMed, 29 from EMBASE, 11 from CINAHL). We identified another 750 RCTs (241 from PubMed, 276 from EMBASE, 177 from CINAHL, 56 from PEDro). Finally, after selection based on the content of the titles, abstracts, and full text of the references, 2 Cochrane reviews and 26 recent RCTs (25 from PubMed 1 from PEDro, none from EMBASE or CINAHL) met our inclusion
References (97)
- et al.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: pathophysiology and clinical neurophysiology
Clin Neurophysiol
(2002) - et al.
Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: is blinding necessary?
Control Clin Trials
(1996) - et al.
Splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome: in search of the optimal angle
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1994) - et al.
Neutral wrist splinting in carpal tunnel syndrome: a comparison of night-only versus full-time wear instructions
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2000) - et al.
Efficacy of a fabricated customized splint and tendon and nerve gliding exercises for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2007) - et al.
Ultrasound therapy effect in carpal tunnel syndrome
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(1998) - et al.
Ultrasound and laser therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome
Aust J Physiother
(2004) - et al.
An investigation to compare the effectiveness of carpal bone mobilisation and neurodynamic mobilisation as methods of treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome
Man Ther
(2000) - et al.
Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are lessened following massage therapy
J Bodyw Mov Ther
(2004) - et al.
Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy is effective for treating wrist pain
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
(2004)
Effects of traditional cupping therapy in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
J Pain
Effectiveness of interventions of specific complaints of the arm, neck and/or shoulder: 3 musculoskeletal disorders of the handAn update
Arch Phys Med Rehabil
Corticosteroid injections, physiotherapy, or a wait-and-see policy for lateral epicondylitis: a randomised controlled trial
Lancet
Ultrasound in contemporary physiotherapy practice
Ultrasonics
A checklist to evaluate a report of a nonpharmacological trial (CLEAR NPT) was developed using consensus
J Clin Epidemiol
Balneotherapy and quality assessment: interobserver reliability of the Maastricht criteria list and the need for blinded quality assessment
J Clin Epidemiol
Multidisciplinary consensus on the terminology and classification of complaints of the arm, neck and/or shoulder
Occup Environ Med
Prevalence and characteristics of complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder (CANS) in the open population
Clin J Pain
Physical work load factors and carpal tunnel syndrome: a population-based study
Occup Environ Med
Social and economic costs of carpal tunnel surgery
Instr Course Lect
The carpal tunnel syndrome: seventeen years' experience in diagnosis and treatment of six hundred fifty-four hands
J Bone Joint Surg Am
Associations between work-related factors and the carpal tunnel syndrome—a systematic review
Scand J Work Environ Health
Carpal tunnel syndrome and other disorders of the median nerve
Practice parameter for carpal tunnel syndrome (summary statement)Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology
Neurology
[Guideline “Diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome”]
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd
Carpal tunnel syndrome
BMJ
Carpal tunnel syndrome in primary care: a report from ASPNAmbulatory Sentinel Practice Network
J Fam Pract
Non-surgical treatment (other than steroid injection) for carpal tunnel syndrome
Cochrane Database Syst Rev
Local corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome
Cochrane Database Syst Rev
2009 Updated method guidelines for systematic reviews in the Cochrane Back Review Group
Spine (Phila Pa 1976)
Updated method guidelines for systematic reviews in the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group
Spine
Effect of ultrasound thermotherapy in mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome
J Med Assoc Thai
Effect of gabapentin in carpal tunnel syndrome: a controlled clinical trial
J Rheumatol Med Rehabil
Comparison of effectiveness of splint and splint with physical therapy in carpal tunnel syndrome
FTR - Turkiye Fiziksel Tip ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi
Cochrane reviewers' handbook 4.0 [updated July 1999]
The Cochrane library, the Cochrane collaboration
An innovative hand brace for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Muscle Nerve
Comparison of three non-surgical treatment protocols in carpal tunnel syndrome
Int J Clin Pract
The effects of neural mobilization in addition to standard care in persons with carpal tunnel syndrome from a community hospital
J Hand Ther
Can we use nerve gliding exercises in women with carpal tunnel syndrome?
Adv Ther
Neutral wrist splinting in carpal tunnel syndrome: a 3- and 6-months clinical and neurophysiologic follow-up evaluation of night-only splint therapy
Eura Medicophys
Comparison of splinting and splinting plus low-level laser therapy in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome
Clin Rheumatol
Efficacy of a soft hand brace and a wrist splint for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized controlled study
Acta Neurol Scand
Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome with nerve and tendon gliding exercises
Am J Phys Med Rehabil
Efficacy of splinting and oral steroids in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: a prospective randomized clinical and electrophysiological study
Neurol India
Yoga-based intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized trial
JAMA
Ultrasound treatment for treating the carpal tunnel syndrome: randomised “sham” controlled trial
BMJ
1Mhz - 3MHz ultrasound applications in carpal tunnel syndrome [Karpal tunel sendromunda 1MHz - 3MHz ultrason uygulamasi]
Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi
Double-blind randomized controlled trial of low-level laser therapy in carpal tunnel syndrome
Muscle Nerve
Cited by (174)
An evidence-based review of optimal perioperative practices in minor hand surgery
2023, Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic SurgeryCarpal tunnel mechanics and its relevance to carpal tunnel syndrome
2023, Human Movement ScienceNonpharmacologic and Rehabilitative Strategies to Address Chronic Pain
2022, Primary Care - Clinics in Office PracticeThe effectiveness of biophysical agents in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome- an umbrella review
2023, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.