Comparison of Wrist Splint Positions in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Median motor distal latency and conduction velocity and second finger recorded median sensory distal latency and conduction velocity will be measured in all individuals. In addition to routine conduction examinations, fourth finger recorded median-ulnar peak latency comparison examinations will also be made.

Pain and numbness at rest, at night, and during movement will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "unbearable pain."

BCTSQ assesses the severity of symptoms and functional status in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. The symptom severity scale assesses the symptoms with respect to severity, frequency, time and type. The scale consists of 11 questions with multiple-choice responses, scored from 1 point (mildest) to 5 points (most severe). The overall symptom severity score is calculated as the mean of the scores for the eleven individual items. The functional status scale assesses the affect of the carpal tunnel syndrome on daily living. The scale consists of 8 questions with multiple choice responses, scored from 1 point (no difficulty with the activity) to 5 points (can not perform the activity at all). The overall score for functional status was calculated as the mean of all eight. Thus, a higher symptom severity or functional status score indicates worse symptoms or dysfunction.

Using 20 pieces of SWMT, sensitive touch threshold sensitivity of each hand will be tested. The examiner and the subject will seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. The monofilaments will be touched fingertips of first three fingers on the radial side of both hands, with enough force to bend the monofilament for 1.5 seconds. The thinnest monofilament numbers that the patient feels being touched will be recorded.

Two point discrimination sense will be evaluated statically using an esthesiometer. The examiner and the subject will seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. The contact time of the discriminator with the fingertip ranged from 3 to 5 seconds. The evaluation will be started by touching a single point on the first three fingertips on the radial side of both hands. Each three fingers will be evaluated separately and the distance between the two touched points will be increased by 1mm in each measurement. The smallest values will be taken in millimeters which the patient feels the two points as two separate points on the tested hand will be noted and the the average value written as the result.

The squeeze force will be measured while the patients are sitting, with the elbow in 90 degrees flexion and they will be asked to make a maximally voluntary grip. Measurements will be made three times in a row on both hands and the average of the three measurements will be noted as a result in kilogram (kg).

The pinch force with thumb and forefinger will be measured while the patients are sitting, with the elbow in 90 degrees flexion and they will be asked to make a maximally voluntary grip.The pinch force will be measured as kg with a pinch dynamometer, and the average of the three measurements will be noted as a result.

Manual muscle testing will be evaluated in 5 grades. No visible or palpable muscle contraction 0, visible or palpable muscle contraction without motion grade 1, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion when gravity is eliminated grade 2, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion against gravity grade 3, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion against gravity and moderate resistance grade 4, muscle contraction that creates movement through the entire range of motion of the joint against gravity and full resistance will be considered as the grade 5

Vibration sense was tested with tuning fork. The examiner and the subject will be seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will be arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. Vibrating tuning fork will be placed on the palmar aspect of the distal phalanx of first three fingers on the radial side of both hands, The patient will be asked to say 'done' when the vibration in his hand was over. The average of three measurements will be noted as a result in seconds.