Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In Manual Wheelchair Users

  1. Signs Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In Hands
  2. Treatment For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Uptodate

Wheelchair users tend to put inordinate stress on their upper extremities, which increases the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, wheelchair transfers and propelling one’s chair can create the traumatic events which cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Luckily, treatment for carpal tunnel is. Feb 27, 2005  The high incidence of upper-extremity pain creates a challenge for manual wheelchair users (MWUs) when performing daily activities (work, play, wheeled propulsion, driving, and transferring). They found that an increased weight of MWUs may increase the likelihood of carpal tunnel syndrome. From this study, authors suggested that a. Wheelchair Gloves and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. There is tremendous power in the hands of the users of manual wheelchairs. Their hands provide the power, steering and brakes. They are central to the user of the chair for mobility and because of all the work they do; they have to deal with a great amount of abuse.

Model System:

SCI

Accession No.:

J57863
Carpal tunnel syndrome uptodate

Journal:

American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

09, 88, 12, 1007-16

Abstract:

Objective: To investigate relationships between carpal tunnel syndrome, functional status, subject demographics, physical examination findings, and median nerve conduction study findings in manual wheelchair users with paraplegia. Design: Multicenter cross-sectional study. One hundred twenty-six manual wheelchair-using individuals with chronic paraplegia answered self-administered questionnaires on demographics, symptoms, and functional status. They underwent physical examination specific for carpal tunnel syndrome and upper-limb nerve conduction studies. Results: Fifty-seven percent of subjects had symptoms (72.2% bilateral); hand numbness was most common. Sixty percent of subjects had carpal tunnel syndrome physical examination findings (59.2% bilateraJ). Those with physical examination findings were more likely to have longer duration of injury (P =0.003). Seventy-eight percent of subjects had electrophysiologic evidence of median mononeuropathy. Symptomatic subjects had significantly greater medianulnar
motor latency difference in the dominant hand (P = 0.02) and smaller compound muscle action potential amplitudes bilaterally (dominant hand, P =0.01; nondominant hand, P = 0.04). Persons with carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms and physical examination findings had significantly worse functional status (symptoms, P mononeuropathy are highly prevalent and functionally significant. This study highlights the need for primary prevention and patient education for preserving upper-limb function. Spinal Cord Injuries, Paraplegia, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Median Nerve, Neuropathy, Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Wheelchairs.

Author(s):

Yang J., Boninger M.L., Leath J.D., Fitzgerald S.G., Dyson-Hudson T.A., Chang M.W.

Participating Centers:

Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury System

Context: Use of a handrim wheelchair could force the wrist into extreme excursions and encroachment of the median nerve.

Objective: We performed a study of the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in prolonged wheelchair users.

Design and setting: A cross-sectional study was conducted for one year in an outpatient clinic of spinal cord injury.

Signs Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In Hands

Participants: Patients had traumatic injury at the first thoracic level and below, with time since injury of at least 5 years.

Outcome measure: The prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome by history taking, clinical examinations and motor and sensory nerve conduction studies of median nerve performed for both hands.

Treatment For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Results: Participants (N = 297) were all male. Mean (SD) age and duration since injury were 48 (8.5) and 23 (6.6) years, respectively. A significant difference in median duration of injury based on the severity of the syndrome (P < 0.001), and a significant trend in time since injury for the severity (P (one tailed) < 0.001) were seen. There was a significant difference in the median age among the groups (P = 0.009), and the median increased with the severity (P (one tailed) = 0.001).

Conclusions: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common side effect of the long time use of wheelchair, and its severity is associated with duration of wheelchair use and age. Alternative methods for wheelchair propulsion should be developed to diminish the likelihood of the syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Uptodate

Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Wheelchair, Spinal cord injury, Electrodiagnostic study, Median nerve