Author(s)

Ashraf Ramadan Hafez^1*, Aqeel Mohammed Alenazi², Shaji John Kachanathu³, Abdulmohsen Meshari Alroumi⁴, Elham Saed Mohamed¹

¹Cairo University Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
²Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Salman Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
³Collage of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴Physical Therapy Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia.

Background and Purpose: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common source of hand numbness and pain. The goal of this study was to compare longitudinal stretching of muscles and nerve to deep transverse friction massage for decreasing pain and improving hand function in patients with chronic CTS. Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients, 25 to 40 years old, were included in this study and randomized into two groups: the first group (36.8 ± 0.262) followed a physical therapy program group receiving stretching of wrist and hand flexors in combination with ultrasound, strengthening exercises of wrist and hand flexors, and wrist splint, three sessions per week for 12 weeks; and the second group (35.9 ± 0.225) followed the physical therapy program of deep transverse friction massage on the carpal tunnel site at the wrist joint, with using ultrasonic therapy, strengthening exercises of wrist and hand flexors and wrist splint, three sessions per week for 12 weeks. Outcome measures were range of motion (ROM), pain using visual analog scale (VAS), and hand grip strength measured with a sphygmomanometer. Results: There was a significant difference in both groups in all outcome measures compared to baseline. Over stretching group showed significant difference at the end of study in terms of range of motion of wrist flexion, extension and strength of handgrip when compared to deep friction massage group P < 0.05. However, there is no significant difference between groups in pain. Discussion and Conclusion: This study showed that the effect of stretching exercises is more beneficial than deep transverse friction massage in the treatment of patients with CTS in decreasing the compression of the median nerve in the tunnel.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Median Nerve, Stretching Exercises, Ultrasonic Therapy, Deep Transversefriction Massage, Hand Weakness and Numbness

Hafez, A. , Alenazi, A. , Kachanathu, S. , Alroumi, A. and Mohamed, E. (2014) The Effect of Longitudinal Stretching of Muscles and Nerve versus Deep Transverse Friction Massage in the Management of Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 2, 199-206. doi: 10.4236/ojtr.2014.24025.