• Serap Incebiyik, Ahmet Boyaci, and Ahmet Tutoglu.
• Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harran University Medical School, Sanliurfa, Turkey Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sanliurfa State Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
• J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2015 Jan 1; 28 (2): 221-8.

ObjectiveWe determined the effects of short-wave diathermy (SWD) treatment on mild and moderate idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).MethodsThis was a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. The study involved 58 wrists in 31 patients diagnosed clinically and electrophysiologically with mild and moderate CTS. They were assigned randomly to one of two groups. Group 1 received a hot pack, SWD, and nerve and tendon gliding exercises and Group 2 received a hot pack, placebo SWD, and nerve and tendon gliding exercises. The treatment was applied five times weekly for a total of 15 sessions. Patients were evaluated using the Tinel test, Phalen test, carpal compression test, reverse Phalen test, carpal tunnel compression test, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) Symptom Severity Scale (SSS), Functional Status Scale (FSS), and a visual analog scale (VAS). Clinical tests and scales were evaluated at the beginning and end of therapy.ResultsIn the SWD group, in the Tinel test, Phalen test, reverse Phalen test, carpal compression test, VAS, BCTQ-FSS, and BCTQ-SSS, statistically significant improvements were detected (p < 0.001). In the placebo group, although improvements were seen in all parameters, the results were not statistically significantly different (p > 0.05) from baseline. All parameters improved significantly in the SWD group versus the controls (p < 0.05).ConclusionSWD provided short-term improvements in pain, clinical symptoms, and hand function in patients with mild and moderate CTS.

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