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Carpal Tunnel SyndromeNCT00803257

Effect of Lumbrical Stretching on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A study testing Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises in people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Symptoms of CTS occur when any condition decreases the size of the carpal canal or increases the volume of the structures within the carpal canal, compressing the median nerve. One cause of the symptoms of CTS is the incursion of the lumbrical muscles of the hand into the carpal canal. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
What is being tested?
Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
124 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Mar 2008to Jan 2011
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • At least 18 yo
  • Clinical symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
  • Positive Tinel's, Phalen's, or Durkin's test
  • Absence of thenar atrophy
  • 2 pt discrimination of 5mm or less

Who cannot join

  • Persons needing immediate CTS surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Compressive neuropathy in the ipsilateral arm
  • Diabetes
  • prior CTS release
  • Non-English speaking

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260

Other trials in United States

About this study

Symptoms of CTS occur when any condition decreases the size of the carpal canal or increases the volume of the structures within the carpal canal, compressing the median nerve. One cause of the symptoms of CTS is the incursion of the lumbrical muscles of the hand into the carpal canal. Individuals with CTS tend to have tight lumbrical muscles which increase this incursion, thereby increasing CTS symptoms. An intervention designed to reduce the incursion of the lumbrical muscles should have an effect on the symptoms of CTS.

The purpose of this study is to systematically examine the effect of an intensive lumbrical muscle intervention, splinting to prevent lumbrical muscle incursion and lumbrical muscle exercises, on the symptoms of CTS. This project will be a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a home program targeting the lumbrical muscles. One hundred and twenty subjects will be assigned to one of 4 groups: Group 1 will receive a home program of lumbrical muscle stretches combined with a lumbrical positioning splint; Group 2 will receive a home program of lumbrical muscle stretches combined with a night wrist cock-up splint; Group 3 will receive a home program of general stretches combined with a lumbrical positioning splint; and Group 4 will receive a home program of general stretches combined with a night wrist cock-up splint. After 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months the groups will be compared to determine if there is a significant reduction in symptoms between the groups.

Being tested
Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises
Keywords
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Splint, Hand exercises
Medical subject headings
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercisesOther

    Subjects receive one of four possible interventions - Dose and Frequency are the same for each

Study groups in NCT00803257
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1ExperimentalLumbrical splint and lumbrical stretches
Receives: Other: Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises
2Active comparatorLumbrical Splint and regular exercises
Receives: Other: Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises
3Active comparatorRegular splint and lumbrical exercises
Receives: Other: Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises
4Active comparatorRegular splint and regular exercises
Receives: Other: Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptom Severity and Functional Status Scale (CTS-SSFS)

    Measured: 1 month

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 Dec 2008 (estimated)
  2. Study startMar 2008
  3. Primary completionJan 2011
  4. Study completionJan 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Factorial
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
124 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00803257
Sponsor's protocol ID
07030166
Status last verified
Jun 2012
First submitted
4 Dec 2008
Last updated
13 Jun 2012
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Baker NA, Moehling KK, Desai AR, Gustafson NP. Effect of carpal tunnel syndrome on grip and pinch strength compared with sex- and age-matched normative data. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2013 Dec;65(12):2041-5. doi: 10.1002/acr.22089.

    PubMed 23925936
  • Baker NA, Moehling KK, Rubinstein EN, Wollstein R, Gustafson NP, Baratz M. The comparative effectiveness of combined lumbrical muscle splints and stretches on symptoms and function in carpal tunnel syndrome. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Jan;93(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.08.013.

    PubMed 22200381

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Lumbrical splint and Lumbrical exercises in people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Jun 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptom Severity and Functional Status Scale (CTS-SSFS) (time frame: 1 month). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00803257, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Jun 2012.

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