Highlights
- •High-intensity laser therapy alleviates carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnant women.
- •Conventional physical therapy alleviates carpal tunnel syndrome to a lesser extent.
- •High-intensity laser therapy could be a rehabilitation modality for pregnant women.
Abstract
Study design
Single-blind randomized controlled trial.
Introduction
High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) was recently introduced to the physiotherapy field
as a treatment option for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). However, evidence
about its effectiveness on pregnant women with CTS is sparse.
Purpose of study
To test the effectiveness of HILT combined with a conventional physical therapy program
to reduce pain intensity, sensory and motor nerve distal latency, and increase grip
strength in pregnant women with CTS compared with the physical therapy alone.
Methods
Fifty-four pregnant women with mild to moderate CTS were randomized and further allocated
into two groups. The HILT group (n = 27) received both HILT and conventional physical therapy, and the control group
(n = 27) received only physical therapy, including nerve and tendon gliding exercises
and the use of an orthotic device. Participants received the interventions at the
University Hospital (omitted for review) three times per week for 5 weeks. An 11-points
numerical pain rating scale, electromyography, and a handheld dynamometer were used
for data collection before and after the treatment.
Results
Participants from both groups presented significant improvement in the median nerve
motor nerve distal latency (MNDL), sensory nerve distal latency, numerical pain rating
scale, and handgrip strength after the intervention. The between-group difference
showed more improvements in participants of the HILT group on reducing pain intensity,
mean difference (MD) = -3.11 (-4.1 to 2.1), and sensory nerve distal latency, MD = -0.3
(-0.5 to -0.1) compared with the control group.
Discussion
HILT produced greater improvement in outcomes of pregnant women with mild to moderate
CTS whichsuggests that adding HILT to traditional CTS physical therapy protocol is
beneficial and safe.
Conclusions
High-intensity laser therapy combined with a standard physical therapy program for
CTS in pregnant women is better than the physical therapy program alone to improve
pain intensity and median nerve sensory distal latency.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 08, 2022
Accepted:
March 27,
2022
Received in revised form:
March 23,
2022
Received:
August 12,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
