Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common entrapment neuropathy accounting for 90 % of all entrapment neuropathies. It is relatively common condition that is estimated to affect 3 to 6 % of adults. The mechanisms for its formation can be different and include increased pressure in the carpal tunnel, damage to the microcirculation of the median nerve, compression of the connective tissue of the median nerve, and synovial tissue hypertrophy. Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain and paraesthesia in the innervation area of the median nerve. Various tests may be used to assist with the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. The most used are Phalen's test and Tinel's sign. Electromyography is considered the gold standard for diagnosing the carpal tunnel syndrome. Conservative treatment should be used for mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome and may include splints, oral medications, drug injections, manual techniques, electrotherapy, median nerve mobilization exercises, and various combinations of these methods. In the case of unsuccessful conservative treatment and in the case of a severe form of carpal tunnel syndrome, surgical treatment is required, in which decompression of the median nerve is carried out using an endoscopic or open procedure. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma work was to determine the effectiveness of conservative therapy with radial extracorporeal shock waves in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome by reviewing the literature. Methods: A literature search was performed in the electronic database PubMed. The English-language related keywords »radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy AND carpal tunnel syndrome« were used. Randomized controlled trials in English language and
with freely available full text were included. Results: Following the exclusion criteria, five randomized controlled trials were included in the literature review. The comparison showed that the inclusion of radial extracorporeal shock waves in the physiotherapy treatment of
patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome improves the outcome of the treatment. Discussion and conclusion: Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy has
proven to be a safe and effective therapy in combination with other physiotherapeutic procedures and methods. Their independent effectiveness still needs to be further
investigated.
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