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

Abstract

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 2nd, 4th and 12th 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 12th 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.