The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 2006/08, 106(8):473. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2006.106.8.471, type of study: ,rct,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7556/jaoa.2006.106.8.471/html)

Keywords:

carpal tunnel syndrome [41]
nerve conduction [2]
OMT [3925]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3946]
randomized controlled trial [947]

Abstract:

Purpose: The goal of this clinical trial was to assess for physiologic and anatomic changes in CTS in response to OMT. Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial (RCT) included two experimental groups, OMT and placebo sub-therapeutic ultrasound. Adults were enrolled who were between 21 and 70 with a clinical diagnosis of CTS and increased conduction latency (slowed conduction) of the median nerve. Outcome measures were changes in median motor and sensory distal latencies measured by Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS). Subjects receive six treatments. NCS were taken at entry to the study (baseline), midpoint, and endpoint. Results: Thirty-seven of a planned 50 subjects were randomized to groups. Thirty-one subjects were included in the final data analysis. Preliminary analysis found no significant difference in NCS values over the three testing intervals. Analysis of 15 subjects with a single treatment provider found significant improvements in some NCS for the OMT group. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate possibility for improvement of CTS with OMT, but no conclusive statements about the efficacy of OMT can be made. This preliminary study enabled us to identify multiple areas in the research design and methodology that could be improved, and provides the framework for future studies. This study contributed to achieving a 3-year NIH-NCCAM R21 to study OMT for CTS in a larger number of subjects.