A comparison of wrist function, range of motion and pain between sports and non sports wheelchair-dependent persons with carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is common among handicapped people using wheelchair, and repeated wrist movements increase the risk of incidence of this syndrome. In present study, performance, pain and range of motion of wrist were compared between the athletes and non-athlete handicapped people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. In this descriptive study, all members of handicapped basketball team in Tehran (35 persons) and 33 wheelchair-bound non-athlete handicapped persons residing in Tehran sanitariums were studied (similar with respect to age, weight, height, years of using wheelchair and level of disability).In this study, Clinical Questionnaire and Nerve Conduction Study were used for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, VAS Scale for measuring pain, Goniometer for measuring range of motion of wrist, and Self-Administered Questionnaire for investigating severity of symptoms and performance. The finings of this study indicated that there was no significant difference between two athlete and non-athlete handicapped groups with carpal tunnel syndrome in prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome, severity of pain, performance and range of motion of wrist (p>0.05). Among 35 athletes, 6 persons (mean age: 36±3.11, mean weight: 68±4.74 and mean height: 172±7) and among 33 non-athletes, 5 persons (mean age: 41±7.1, mean weight: 73±3 and mean height: 173±5) had carpal tunnel syndrome. Unlike what is supposed, repeated movements of wrist is not the only factor predisposing the athlete handicapped people to carpal tunnel syndrome, So other influencing factors should be considered.