Comparison of kinesio taping technique with myofacial releasing of retinaculum musculorum flexorum, mobilization of median nerve, and tendon gliding exercises in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral entrapment neuropathy caused by pinched median nerve in carpal tunnel. In this study, our aim is to determine the efficiency of the kinesiotaping technique that is used in physical therapy and to compare efficacy of this technique with a treatment programme using all three types of myofacial releasing of flexor retinaculum, mobilization of the median nerve, and tendon gliding exercises.Material and Methods: Forty volunteer female patients with CTS, divided into two groups consisted of twenty patients. The first group of the patients was put on mobilization of median nerve, releasing of flexor retinaculum, and tendon gliding exercises therapy for 5 days per week for 4 weeks, while the second group recieved the kinesiotaping technique two times per week on Mondays and Thursdays. Every patient was evaluated within the group and compared with the other group according to Boston Symptom Severity Scale and Boston Functional Capacity Scale before and after the treatment programme to compare the efficiencies of the methods.Results: In both groups, statisticaly significant reductions were observed according to Boston Symptom Severity Scale and Boston Functional Capacity Scale scores before and after the therapy. Although the difference between exercises and taping groups was not statistically significant according to Boston Symptom Severity Scale, a statistically significant difference was noted according to Boston Functional Capacity Scale.Conclusion: Positive effects on CTS symptoms were observed in both groups, but statistically significant difference was not observed between groups. Excercise group was superior to taping group when we compare two groups according to improvement of hand functions.Keywords: Carpal tunnel seyndrome, median nerve gliding exercises, neural gliding exercises, tendon gliding exercises, kinesio taping techniques.