title: Ultrasonographic median nerve changes under tendon gliding exercise in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and healthy controls.
abstract: METHODS
  Case control study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ultrasonographic median nerve changes under tendon gliding exercise in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients with CTS and 53 healthy volunteers were consecutively recruited. Each subject underwent a physical examination, nerve conduction studies and ultrasonographic examinations of the median nerve during tendon gliding exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant changes in the cross-sectional area of the median nerve were found while moving from the straight position to the hook position and from the hook position to the fist position. There were also significant changes in the flattening ratio when moving from the hook position to the fist position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography revealed that the median nerve was compressed in the fist position in both CTS patients and healthy volunteers. Thus, forceful grasping should be avoided during tendon gliding exercises performed in the fist position.
  
  
  METHODS
  3b.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Shiung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Horng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shih-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Min-Sheng Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Ming-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Kun-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: lianghw@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Huey-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020423:Median Neuropathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013710:Tendons; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods
keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Median nerve; Tendon gliding exercises; Ultrasonography