The Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Ultrasound Treatment Combined with High Intensity Laser Treatment on Pain, Grip Strength, and Hand Function in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of high-intensity laser therapy(HILT), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS), and ultrasound(US) treatment on pain, grip strength, and hand function in patients who had undergone carpal tunnel syndrome surgery.Design: A randomized controlled trial.Methods: Thirty patients who had undergone carpal tunnel syndrome surgery were randomly assigned to receive either TENS combined with HILT, US combined with HILT, or only HILT as the control group.Treatments were applied around the surgical site, and pre-and post-treatment changes were evaluated.Pain was assessed using NPRS, hand symptoms using CTS-6 and BCTQ-SSS, grip strength with an electronic dynamometer, and hand function using BCTQ-FSS.Treatments were administered seven times over two weeks.Results: The pain and symptoms were significantly reduced(p＜0.05)and grip strength and hand function were significantly increased(p＜0.05) after treatment compared to before treatment for all subjects.Pain was significantly reduced(p＜0.05)and grip strength was significantly increased(p＜0.05) in the TESN＋HILT group and US＋HILT group compared to the Control group.Hand symptoms were significantly reduced(p＜0.05)and hand function significantly increased(p＜0.05) in the TENS＋HILT group compared to the Control group.Conclusions: TENS combined with HILT was found to be more effective than US combined with HILT in reducing pain and symptoms and improving grip strength and hand function in patients following carpal tunnel syndrome surgery.These findings suggest that these treatment modalities can be beneficially applied in clinical practice.