Non-surgical Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Means of Mechanical Traction (MT-CTS)

Tilburg University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Treatments: Device: mechanical traction; Other: Care as usual

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01949493

NL44692.008.13

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of mechanical traction in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome compared to care as usual.

Full description

This randomized controlled trial will examine the effectiveness of mechanical traction compared to care as usual as a non-surgical treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Patients diagnosed with CTS are recruited from the outpatient neurology clinic of VieCuri Medical Center in Venlo, The Netherlands. They will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Patients in the intervention group will receive 12 treatments with mechanical traction during six consecutive weeks. Patients in the control group will receive care as usual, which can include splinting, a corticosteroid injection, carpal tunnel release surgery or an expectant strategy. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after inclusion.

Enrollment: 181 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosed with CTS using electrodiagnostic testing
• being physically capable of visiting the outpatient clinic in Venlo twice per week
• being physically capable of sitting in upright position in a chair for 10-20 minutes, twice per week
• not intending to move outside the area within 3 months after inclusion

Exclusion criteria

• not understanding Dutch appropriately
• other known (rare) cause of neuropathy
• suffering from severe psychiatric disorders, such as personality disorder, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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181 participants in 2 patient groups

Care as usual

Other group

Description:

The patient will receive the usual care provided by the neurologists at VieCuri Medical Center. This may include an expectant strategy, a wrist splint, corticosteroid injection or carpal tunnel release surgery.

Treatment:

Other: Care as usual

Mechanical traction

Experimental group

Description:

Twelve treatments with mechanical traction using the Phystrac traction apparatus.

Treatment:

Device: mechanical traction