Symptom Recovery Time After the Phalen Test in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and reduced hand function. The Phalen test is commonly used during clinical examination, but it is usually recorded only as positive or negative. The time needed for the symptoms caused by the test to return to their pre-test level may provide additional information about the clinical severity of carpal tunnel syndrome. This study will investigate the clinical meaning of symptom recovery time after the Phalen test in adults with electrodiagnostically confirmed carpal tunnel syndrome. During the test, participants will keep their wrists fully flexed for up to 60 seconds. If typical symptoms appear or clearly increase, the test will be stopped and the wrists will be returned to a neutral position. The time required for symptoms to return to their pre-test level will be recorded. Participants will also complete the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire and will be evaluated for nighttime symptoms and nerve conduction findings. The study will examine whether recovery time is related to hand function, symptom severity, nighttime complaints, symptom onset time during the Phalen test, and electrodiagnostic severity. A subgroup of participants with a positive Phalen test will repeat the test after 3-7 days to evaluate its test-retest reliability. No treatment will be assigned as part of this observational study.