The Role of Pyhsical Therapy Modalities in the Treatment of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy caused by the compression of the median nerve at the wrist in the carpal canal. Although many diseases cause CTS, the etiology is usually idiopathic. There are various conservative treatment options including wrist splinting, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, local steroid injection and physical therapy modalities. The most prominent physical therapy modalities in the literature are therapeutic ultrasound and low-level laser therapy. Although CTS is the most well-defined and studied entrapment neuropathy, the effectiveness of the treatment modalities and superiority to each other is still controversial. In this review, the use of physical therapy modalities as the conservative treatment options of CTS are thoroughly examined and the most effective treatment methods are intended to reveal.