Investigation of the Effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Kinesiotaping in Individuals With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and electrophysiological effects of different treatment protocols in individuals diagnosed with CTS. The study included 54 individuals diagnosed with mild to moderate CTS and randomly divided into three groups. The control group received only wrist splinting and nerve-tendon gliding exercises (NTGEs). The ESWT group received extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in addition to splinting and NTGEs. The ESWT+Taping group received kinesiotaping (KT) in addition to splinting, NTGEs and ESWT. Pain was assessed using the VAS, hand grip strength was assessed using a hand dynamometer, symptom severity and functional status were assessed using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, and electrophysiological data were assessed using median nerve conduction measurements. Significant improvements were observed in all three groups. However, the ESWT+Taping group demonstrated significantly greater improvement across all outcome measures compared to the other groups (P<0.05). The addition of KT to splinting, NTGEs, and ESWT enhances symptomatic, functional, and electrophysiological recovery. These findings support the use of multimodal treatment strategies in CTS rehabilitation. The study was registered at the Clinical Trial Registry (NCT06981715).