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

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 2^nd, 4^th and 12^th 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 12^th 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.