Studying Finger-thumb Grip in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

INTRODUCTION Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition that results in impaired hand function. In cases of CTS the "pinch grip" force between the thumb and index finger becomes unnecessarily high to prevent objects from slipping when they are picked up. HYPOTHESES The proposed study will investigate the following hypotheses regarding CTS. As an object is picked up, the investigators suspect there will be several points at which grip force will be different between patients with different severities of CTS, i.e. grip may deteriorate as CTS gets worse. The investigators also suspect grip force will be affected depending on the weight of the object, i.e. patients with CTS may struggle with objects of a certain weight. Patients with CTS sweat less, and this may affect their grip. The investigators suspect that pinch grip in CTS patients is disproportionately altered by the frictional properties of the object and by the moistness of the skin. The investigators suspect patients with CTS will be less able to adapt to sudden changes in an object's weight. The investigators wish to examine how the above are affected after surgical treatment of CTS. METHODS The investigators will include patients with symptomatic, idiopathic CTS, aged between 18 and 80 years. The investigators' centre will recruit CTS patients who will attend their National Health Service (NHS) outpatient appointment followed by nerve conduction studies. An equal number of healthy participants will be recruited for comparison purposes. At the aforementioned appointment, patients will undertake a pinch grip force test using a device that will test the above points. Patients will have normal care under their surgeon, which may include an operation for treatment of CTS. Therefore some patients will be invited back to have grip tests again after their operation. No aspect of the study will prevent a patient from receiving their normal National Health Service (NHS) care.