Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve gets compressed as it passes through a narrow tunnel in the wrist. It's common — affecting millions of people, especially those who do repetitive hand work — and usually starts with numbness, tingling, or pain in the thumb and fingers. Most people try wrist splints and anti-inflammatory drugs first, and surgery to release the compressed nerve works well when conservative measures don't.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing ultrasound-guided steroid injections for more precise relief, nerve gliding exercises to reduce pressure without surgery, and comparing minimally invasive surgical techniques. Researchers are also studying whether biologics or regenerative approaches can reduce inflammation or help damaged nerves heal faster after release surgery.
Ultrasound-guided injections
Using ultrasound to guide corticosteroid injections directly around the compressed nerve may provide better relief than blind injections. Several trials are comparing this approach to standard injections and to surgery.
Nerve regeneration
Some studies are testing whether platelet-rich plasma or other regenerative treatments can speed nerve healing after carpal tunnel release. The goal is faster recovery and better long-term function.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on symptom severity, nerve conduction test results, how long symptoms have been present, and whether previous treatments like splinting or injections have been tried.
What types of trials are currently open
- Injection trials — Comparing different types of steroid injections, guidance techniques, and injection schedules to see which provides the longest relief without surgery.
- Surgical technique trials — Testing endoscopic versus open carpal tunnel release, or newer minimally invasive approaches, to find which recovers faster with fewer complications.
- Physical therapy trials — Studies of nerve gliding exercises, splinting schedules, or manual therapy to see if they can avoid or delay surgery.
- Regenerative medicine trials — Testing platelet-rich plasma, stem cells, or growth factors to speed nerve healing after release surgery.
- Diagnostic studies — Research on ultrasound or MRI to better predict who will respond to injections versus who needs surgery.
Recently added Carpal Tunnel Syndrome trials
Receive carpal tunnel surgery with an experimental tissue treatment
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a compressive neuropathy caused by chronic compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel, resulting in pain, numbness, tingling, and impaired hand function. This study is a randomized controlled trial with a pre- and post-intervention experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of adjunctive amniotic membrane combined with secretome in patients with moderate-to-severe CTS undergoing carpal tunnel release surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either standard surgical treatment alone or surgery with the addition of amniotic membrane and secretome. Clinical and electrophysiological outcomes will be evaluated before surgery and at 3 weeks after the intervention using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and electromyography (EMG) to assess symptom improvement, functional recovery, and median nerve regeneration.
Complete hand function tests to validate clinical assessment tools
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand due to pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. This condition often negatively affects a person's hand functions and ability to perform daily activities. While various tests are used in clinics to measure hand function, dexterity, and fine motor skills, there is still a lack of clear consensus in the literature regarding the specific reliability and validity of these particular tests for this patient population. Consequently, it remains uncertain which of these tests are truly accurate, consistent, and most appropriate for routine clinical use in carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, it is crucial to scientifically evaluate these tests to fill this gap in the literature. The purpose of this study is to investigate reliability and construct validity of the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), the Minnesota Dexterity Test (MDT), and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPG) in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). To achieve these objectives, a rigorous methodological protocol will be implemented (COSMIN criteria). Test-retest reliability will be evaluated by repeating the assessments within a 7-to-14-day interval. To control for potential learning, fatigue, and adaptation effects, the order of all performance tests will be strictly randomized using a permutation approach during both the initial (baseline) and the second (retest) evaluation sessions. Additionally, measurement error will be calculated using Standard Error of Measurement and Minimal Detectable Change to determine the true clinical precision of these tools. For construct validity, a specific testing sequence and strict randomization strategy will be utilized to minimize response bias. Participants will complete all patient-reported outcome questionnaires prior to undergoing any physical testing. This ensures that a patient's subjective evaluation of their daily life activities is not influenced by their immediate performance or perceived success on the physical tests. Following the questionnaires, hand strength measurements and dexterity performance tests will be administered. The sequence of these physical tests will be fully randomized both among different test modalities and within their internal subtests for each participant. Construct validity will be evaluated through predefined hypothesis testing based on COSMIN guidelines. Convergent validity will be confirmed if a moderate correlation (r≥0.40 or r≤-0.40) is observed between the dexterity tests and structurally related parameters. Divergent validity will be confirmed by a weak correlation (r≥-0.39 and r≤0.39) with structurally unrelated or distinct clinical parameters. Construct validity of the assessments will be considered satisfactory if at least 75% of these predefined hypotheses are confirmed by the statistical analysis.
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