The Effects of Nerve and Tendon Gliding Exercises Combined with Low-level Laser or Ultrasound Therapy in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common medical condition that doctors and physiotherapists come across in clinical practice. There are no explicit recommendations concerning which physical therapy methods should be applied in its treatment; however, there have also been no studies on the effects of combining low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or ultrasound with nerve and tendon gliding exercises. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound and LLLT combined with gliding exercises. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of seventy patients with mild to moderate CTS, divided into two groups, were included in this study. Group 1 received ultrasound treatment, whereas Group 2 underwent LLLT. The treatment lasted 2 weeks (5 sessions/week). In addition, both groups were treated with nerve and tendon gliding exercises three times daily. The clinical evaluation involved an interview on subjective and objective sensory abnormalities, the intensity of pain, the measurement of grip strength, Phalen's test, Tinel's sign, and the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. The assessment was performed before and after the treatment. RESULTS: A decrease in sensory impairments, improvement in visual analog scale, hand grip strength and the Boston Questionnaire results were significant in all patients after therapy. No meaningful differences between groups were noted in any of the examined variables after treatment. No adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may suggest the clinical efficacy of LLLT or ultrasound combined with gliding exercises in patients with mild to moderate CTS.