Restoration of hand function and ability to perform activities of daily living following surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to assess treatment efficacy in patients following surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome and compare hand function with patients' subjective evaluation and their ability to carry out activities of daily living.


METHODS
The study involved patients undergoing rehabilitation at the Małopolska Region Hand Rehabilitation Centre at L. Rydygier Specialized Hospital in Cracow and at the Hand Rehabilitation Unit at the Scanmed Medical Centre in Cracow. The patients were admitted to the Centre after surgical release of the transverse ligament of the wrist. Fifty hands (40 patients) were evaluated and treated. The rehabilitation programme was customised for each patient, and included patient education, a programme of home-based exercises and physiotherapeutic treatment in our centres. The patients were evaluated twice: before starting rehabilitation and at the end of the treatment. Hand function was evaluated using Swanson's method, the Alderson-McGall Hand Function Questionnaire and the Nine Hole Peg Test. Patients were also asked to provide a subjective evaluation of the typical signs and symptoms of CTS.


RESULTS
The study showed improvement in all tests and a high level of correlation between various evaluations of hand function and patients' subjective feelings.


CONCLUSIONS
The time at which post-operative rehabilitation was started significantly affected the outcomes of rehabilitation in the study group. There was a significant correlation between hand function impairment and subjective feelings of the patients vs. their quality of daily living.
Szczechowicz
Jakub
J
Division of Kinesitherapy, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Physical Education in Cracow.
Pieniazek
Marek
M
Pelczar-Pieniazek
Maria
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011044:Poland; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome