Comparison of Wrist Splint Positions in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

March 10, 2026 updated by: Fatma Merih Akpınar, Istanbul University

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Splint Use in Different Wrist Positions in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve compression syndrome. It develops as a result of the compression of the median nerve while passing through the osteofibrous structure of the carpal tunnel located at the wrist. Sensory symptoms are the most prominent feature of CTS. These symptoms are observed as pain, paresthesia, and decreased sensory sensitivity. As motor symptoms, thumb abduction and opposition are primarily affected. In advanced cases, atrophy develops in the thenar muscles. Patients may describe weakness as difficulty in writing, opening jars, buttoning, or grasping objects. The diagnosis is made by fulfilling both clinical and electrophysiological diagnostic criteria. CTS has both conservative and surgical treatment options. Conservative treatment includes splinting, physical therapy modalities, and injection options, and it is preferred in mild and moderate cases. Among non-surgical treatment options, splint use is a commonly applied intervention; however, there is no consensus regarding its effectiveness, the optimal wrist position during use, or the duration and frequency of splint application. A total of 108 hands from patients aged 18 to 55 years diagnosed with CTS will be included in this study and randomized into three groups. All groups will be given an education and exercise program. The first group will use a wrist splint fixed at 15° flexion; the second group at neutral position; and the third group at 20° extension, to be worn only at night for eight weeks. Patients will be evaluated before treatment, immediately after treatment, and two months after the end of treatment using measures of pain- numbness severity, functional status, motor and sensory examination findings, and nerve conduction studies. What makes this study unique is that it evaluates the effects of splints that stabilize the wrist at different angles together with electrophysiological findings. A review of the literature shows that while some studies have examined and compared the effects of splints fixed at different wrist angles on symptoms, functional status, and physical examination findings, there is no study that evaluates these effects along with electrophysiological findings. Therefore, this study, which will compare the effectiveness of splints at different angles, is expected to contribute to the literature. The expected outcomes of this research are that one or more types of splints used in the conservative treatment of CTS will provide improvements in symptom severity, functional status, sensory and motor physical examination findings, and electrophysiological evaluation findings at the end of treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
108

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome confirmed by electrophysiological studies performed within the last year.
  • Clinical findings consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome.
  • Age between 18 and 65 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • <18 years or >65 years
  • Thenar atrophy
  • Surgery history for CTS
  • Steroid injection for CTS
  • Physical treatment for CTS in the last 6 months
  • Cervical radiculopathy
  • Tenosynovitis
  • Peripheral polyneuropathy
  • Another compressive neuropathy in the ipsilateral upper extremity
  • History of trauma/fracture to the hand-wrist region
  • Pregnancy
  • Metabolic disease
  • Rheumatic/autoimmune disease
  • Kidney failure

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: 15° Flexion Wrist Splint Group
Other: Flexion Splint
Participants will wear wrist splint fixed at 15° of wrist flexion during nighttime only for eight weeks.
Behavioral: Education
All participants will also receive a standardized education.
Other: Exercise
All participants will also receive a standardized exercise program.
Active Comparator: Neutral Wrist Splint Group
Behavioral: Education
All participants will also receive a standardized education.
Other: Exercise
All participants will also receive a standardized exercise program.
Other: Neutral Splint
Participants will wear a wrist splint maintaining the wrist in a neutral position during nighttime only for eight weeks.
Active Comparator: 20° Extension Wrist Splint Group
Behavioral: Education
All participants will also receive a standardized education.
Other: Exercise
All participants will also receive a standardized exercise program.
Other: Extension Splint
Participants will wear a wrist splint fixed at 20° of wrist extension during nighttime only for eight weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Nerve Conduction Study (NCS)
Time Frame: Baseline and sixteen week of intervention
Median motor distal latency and conduction velocity and second finger recorded median sensory distal latency and conduction velocity will be measured in all individuals. In addition to routine conduction examinations, fourth finger recorded median-ulnar peak latency comparison examinations will also be made.
Baseline and sixteen week of intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Pain Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Pain and numbness at rest, at night, and during movement will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "unbearable pain."
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTSQ)
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
BCTSQ assesses the severity of symptoms and functional status in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. The symptom severity scale assesses the symptoms with respect to severity, frequency, time and type. The scale consists of 11 questions with multiple-choice responses, scored from 1 point (mildest) to 5 points (most severe). The overall symptom severity score is calculated as the mean of the scores for the eleven individual items. The functional status scale assesses the affect of the carpal tunnel syndrome on daily living. The scale consists of 8 questions with multiple choice responses, scored from 1 point (no difficulty with the activity) to 5 points (can not perform the activity at all). The overall score for functional status was calculated as the mean of all eight. Thus, a higher symptom severity or functional status score indicates worse symptoms or dysfunction.
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Semmes Weinstein Monofilament Test (SWMT)
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Using 20 pieces of SWMT, sensitive touch threshold sensitivity of each hand will be tested. The examiner and the subject will seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. The monofilaments will be touched fingertips of first three fingers on the radial side of both hands, with enough force to bend the monofilament for 1.5 seconds. The thinnest monofilament numbers that the patient feels being touched will be recorded.
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Two Point Discrimination Test (TPDT)
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Two point discrimination sense will be evaluated statically using an esthesiometer. The examiner and the subject will seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. The contact time of the discriminator with the fingertip ranged from 3 to 5 seconds. The evaluation will be started by touching a single point on the first three fingertips on the radial side of both hands. Each three fingers will be evaluated separately and the distance between the two touched points will be increased by 1mm in each measurement. The smallest values will be taken in millimeters which the patient feels the two points as two separate points on the tested hand will be noted and the the average value written as the result.
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Hand Grip Force
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
The squeeze force will be measured while the patients are sitting, with the elbow in 90 degrees flexion and they will be asked to make a maximally voluntary grip. Measurements will be made three times in a row on both hands and the average of the three measurements will be noted as a result in kilogram (kg).
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Thumb and Forefinger Pinch Force
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
The pinch force with thumb and forefinger will be measured while the patients are sitting, with the elbow in 90 degrees flexion and they will be asked to make a maximally voluntary grip.The pinch force will be measured as kg with a pinch dynamometer, and the average of the three measurements will be noted as a result.
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Manuel Muscle Testing of M. Abductor Pollicis Brevis
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Manual muscle testing will be evaluated in 5 grades. No visible or palpable muscle contraction 0, visible or palpable muscle contraction without motion grade 1, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion when gravity is eliminated grade 2, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion against gravity grade 3, muscle contraction that creates movement at full of range of motion against gravity and moderate resistance grade 4, muscle contraction that creates movement through the entire range of motion of the joint against gravity and full resistance will be considered as the grade 5
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Vibration Sensation
Time Frame: Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention
Vibration sense was tested with tuning fork. The examiner and the subject will be seated opposite each other. Both arms of the subject will be arranged on a table in supination, with palm upwards. The patient will be instructed to close their eyes. Vibrating tuning fork will be placed on the palmar aspect of the distal phalanx of first three fingers on the radial side of both hands, The patient will be asked to say 'done' when the vibration in his hand was over. The average of three measurements will be noted as a result in seconds.
Baseline, eight week of intervention, sixteen week of intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Istanbul University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • E-29624016-050.99-3310018

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Peripheral Neuropathies

Clinical Trials on Flexion Splint

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings