Suggested variations on standard carpal tunnel syndrome assessment tests

Abstract

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a highly prevalent peripheral neuropathy and manual therapy practitioners are likely to have clients presenting with this condition. There are no definitive diagnostic procedures that have shown a high degree of accuracy in identifying carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, manual therapy practitioners do not have access to high-tech diagnostic procedures and therefore rely on physical examination methods to identify peripheral neuropathies like carpal tunnel syndrome. Several special orthopedic testing procedures have shown value in predicting the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Combining these standard testing procedures with neurodynamic principles allows for modifications to these tests making them more sensitive in identifying median nerve compression neuropathy in the carpal tunnel.