Assessment of the Impact of Specialized Physical Therapy on the Clinical Condition of Patients After Carpal Tunnel Release.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of specialized physical therapy on the clinical outcomes of patients whose carpal tunnel surgical treatment failed to meet expected results. The study included 111 patients (130 hands). All patients underwent open carpal tunnel release (CTR) using a standardized surgical technique. Postoperative physiotherapy was uniformly initiated for all patients immediately following the procedure. The effectiveness of treatment was assessed using the Symptom Severity Scale, Functional Status Scale, Numerical Rating Scale, total duration of paresthesia during the provocative test, and sensory excitability threshold evaluation. The first group consisted of patients who were satisfied with the results of the treatment at the follow-up visit two months after the procedure and who had no complications. This group was not subjected to any additional form of therapy. The second group included patients who expressed dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes during the follow-up visit (two months postoperatively); targeted physical therapy was implemented based on the underlying cause. Statistical analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in all assessed parameters in both groups of patients two months after CTR. The second group exhibited worse outcomes on the symptom severity scale and pain intensity compared to the first group. However, the implementation of specialized physical therapy in this group led to an improvement in clinical condition. By the six-month follow-up, the results achieved in both groups were comparable. The implementation of additional specialized physiotherapy enhances the clinical outcomes for patients whose carpal tunnel surgical treatment yielded suboptimal results or who encountered postoperative complications. The choice of physiotherapeutic methods should be tailored to the specific symptoms or complications presented by the patient.