1. A. Before initiation of any therapeutic procedure, the authorized treating provider, employer, and insurer must consider these important issues in the care of the injured worker.
2. B. First, patients undergoing therapeutic procedure(s) should be released or returned to modified or restricted duty during their rehabilitation at the earliest appropriate time. Refer to “Return-to-Work” in this section for detailed information.
3. C. Second, cessation and/or review of treatment modalities should be undertaken when no further significant subjective or objective improvement in the patient’s condition is noted. If patients are not responding within the recommended duration periods, alternative treatment interventions, further diagnostic studies or consultations should be pursued.
4. D. Third, providers should provide and document education to the patient. No treatment plan is complete without addressing issues of individual and/or group patient education as a means of facilitating self-management of symptoms.
5. E. Lastly, formal psychological or psychosocial screening should be performed on patients not making expected progress within 6 to 12 weeks following injury and whose subjective symptoms do not correlate with objective signs and tests.
6. F. In cases where a patient is unable to attend an outpatient center, home therapy may be necessary. Home therapy may include active and passive therapeutic procedures as well as other modalities to assist in alleviating pain, swelling, and abnormal muscle tone. Home therapy is usually of short duration and continues until the patient is able to tolerate coming to an outpatient center.
7. G. Non-operative treatment procedures for CTS can be divided into two groups: conservative care and rehabilitation. Conservative care is treatment applied to a problem in which spontaneous improvement is expected in 90 percent of the cases within three months. It is usually provided during the tissue-healing phase and lasts no more than six months, and often considerably less. Rehabilitation is treatment applied to a more chronic and complex problem in a patient with de-conditioning and disability. It is provided during the period after tissue healing to obtain maximal medical recovery. Treatment modalities may be utilized sequentially or concomitantly depending on chronicity and complexity of the problem, and treatment plans should always be based on a diagnosis utilizing appropriate diagnostic procedures.

8. H. The following procedures are listed in alphabetical order.

   1. 1. Acupuncture is an accepted and widely used procedure for the relief of pain and inflammation and there is some scientific evidence to support its use. The exact mode of action is only partially understood. Western medicine studies suggest that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system at the level of the brain, promotes deep relaxation, and affects the release of neurotransmitters. Acupuncture is commonly used as an alternative or in addition to traditional Western pharmaceuticals. While it is commonly used when pain medication is reduced or not tolerated, it may be used as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation and/or surgical intervention to hasten the return of functional activity. Acupuncture should be performed by licensed practitioners.

      1. a. Definition: Acupuncture is the insertion and removal of filiform needles to stimulate acupoints (acupuncture points). Needles may be inserted, manipulated, and retained for a period of time. Acupuncture can be used to reduce pain, reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, increase range of motion, decrease the side effect of medication-induced nausea, promote relaxation in an anxious patient, and reduce muscle spasm. Indications include joint pain, joint stiffness, soft tissue pain and inflammation, paresthesia, post-surgical pain relief, muscle spasm, and scar tissue pain.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: three to six treatments
         2. ii. Frequency: one to three times per week
         3. iii. Optimum duration: one to two months
         4. iv. Maximum duration: 14 treatments

      2. b. Acupuncture with Electrical Stimulation is the use of electrical current (micro- amperage or milli-amperage) on the needles at the acupuncture site. It is used to increase effectiveness of the needles by continuous stimulation of the acupoint. Physiological effects (depending on location and settings) can include endorphin release for pain relief, reduction of inflammation, increased blood circulation, analgesia through interruption of pain stimulus, and muscle relaxation. It is indicated to treat chronic pain conditions, radiating pain along a nerve pathway, muscle spasm, inflammation, scar tissue pain, and pain located in multiple sites.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: three to six treatments
         2. ii. Frequency: one to three times per week
         3. iii. Optimum duration: one to two months
         4. iv. Maximum duration: 14 treatments

      3. c. Other Acupuncture Modalities. Acupuncture treatment is based on individual patient needs and therefore treatment may include a combination of procedures to enhance treatment effect. Other procedures may include the use of heat, soft tissue manipulation/massage, and exercise. Refer to Active Therapy and Passive Therapy for a description of these adjunctive acupuncture modalities.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: three to six treatments
         2. ii. Frequency: one to three times per week
         3. iii. Optimum duration: one to two months

         4. iv. Maximum duration: 14 treatments

            1. (a). Any of the above acupuncture treatments may extend longer if objective functional gains can be documented or when symptomatic benefits facilitate progression in the patient’s treatment program. Treatment beyond 14 treatments must be documented with respect to need and ability to facilitate positive symptomatic or functional gains. Such care should be re-evaluated and documented with each series of treatments.

   2. 2. Biofeedback

      1. a. A form of behavioral medicine that helps patients learn self-awareness and self-regulation skills for the purpose of gaining greater control of their physiology, such as muscle activity, brain waves, and measures of autonomic nervous system activity. Electronic instrumentation is used to monitor the targeted physiology and then displayed or fed back to the patient visually, auditorially or tactilely, with coaching by a biofeedback specialist. Biofeedback is provided by clinicians certified in biofeedback and/or who have documented specialized education, advanced training, or direct or supervised experience qualifying them to provide the specialized treatment needed (e.g., surface EMG, EEG, or other).
      2. b. Treatment is individualized to the patient’s work-related diagnosis and needs. Home practice of skills is required for mastery and may be facilitated by the use of home training tapes. The ultimate goal in biofeedback treatment is normalizing the physiology to the pre-injury status to the extent possible and involves transfer of learned skills to the workplace and daily life. Candidates for biofeedback therapy or training must be motivated to learn and practice biofeedback and self-regulation techniques.

      3. c. Indications for biofeedback include individuals who are suffering from musculoskeletal injury where muscle dysfunction or other physiological indicators of excessive or prolonged stress response affects and/or delays recovery. Other applications include training to improve self-management of emotional stress/pain responses such as anxiety, depression, anger, sleep disturbance, and other central and autonomic nervous system imbalances. Biofeedback is often utilized along with other treatment modalities.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: three to four sessions
         2. ii. Frequency: one to two times per week
         3. iii. Optimum duration: five to six sessions
         4. iv. Maximum duration: 10 to 12 sessions. Treatment beyond 12 sessions must be documented with respect to need, expectation, and ability to facilitate positive symptomatic or functional gains.

   3. 3. Injections-Therapeutic.

      1. a. Steroids Injections. Beneficial effects of injections are well-established, but generally considered to be temporary. Recurrence of symptoms is frequent. It is not clear whether or not injections slow progression of electrodiagnostic changes. Therefore, although symptoms may be temporarily improved, nerve damage may be progressing. When motor changes are present, surgery is preferred over injections. Injections may be given for confirmation of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosis.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: two to five days
         2. ii. Frequency: every six to eight weeks
         3. iii. Optimum number: two injections
         4. iv. Maximum number: three injections in 6 months
      2. b. If following the first injection, symptomatic relief is followed by recurrent symptoms, the decision to perform a second injection must be weighed against alternative treatments such as surgery. Surgery may give more definitive relief of symptoms.

   4. 4. Job Site Alteration. Early evaluation and training of body mechanics and other ergonomic factors are essential for every injured worker and should be done by a qualified individual. In some cases, this requires a job site evaluation. Some evidence supports alteration of the job site in the early treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). There is no single factor or combination of factors that is proven to prevent or ameliorate CTS, but a combination of ergonomic and psychosocial factors is generally considered to be important. Physical factors that may be considered include use of force, repetition, awkward positions, upper extremity vibration, cold environment, and contact pressure on the carpal tunnel. Psychosocial factors to be considered include pacing, degree of control over job duties, perception of job stress, and supervisory support. The job analysis and modification should include input from the employee, employer, and ergonomist or other professional familiar with work place evaluation. The employee must be observed performing all job functions in order for the job site analysis to be valid. Periodic follow-up is recommended to evaluate effectiveness of the intervention and need for additional ergonomic changes.

      1. a. Ergonomic changes should be made to modify the hazards identified. In addition workers should be counseled to vary tasks throughout the day whenever possible. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests that workers who perform repetitive tasks, including keyboarding, take 15-30 second breaks every 10 to 20 minutes, or 5-minute breaks every hour. Mini breaks should include stretching exercises.
      2. b. Interventions should consider engineering controls, e.g., mechanizing the task, changing the tool used, or adjusting the work site, or administrative controls, e.g., adjusting the time an individual performs the task.
      3. c. Seating Description. The following description may aid in evaluating seated work positions: The head should incline only slightly forward, and if a monitor is used, there should be 18-24 inches of viewing distance with no glare. Arms should rest naturally, with forearms parallel to the floor, elbows at the sides, and wrists straight or minimally extended. The back must be properly supported by a chair, which allows change in position and backrest adjustment. There must be good knee and legroom, with the feet resting comfortably on the floor or footrest. Tools should be within easy reach, and twisting or bending should be avoided.

      4. d. Job Hazard Checklist. The following Table 3 is adopted from Washington State’s job hazard checklist, and may be used as a generally accepted guide for identifying job duties which may pose ergonomic hazards. The fact that an ergonomic hazard exists at a specific job, or is suggested in the table, does not establish a causal relationship between the job and the individual with a musculoskeletal injury. However, when an individual has a work-related injury and ergonomic hazards exist that affect the injury, appropriate job modifications should be made. Proper correction of hazards may prevent future injuries to others, as well as aid in the recovery of the injured worker.

         Table 3: Identifying Job Duties Which May Pose Ergonomic Hazards

         Type of Job Duty	Hours per Day
         Pinching an unsupported object(s) weighing 2 lbs or more per hand, or pinching with a force of 4 lbs or more per hand (comparable to pinching a half a ream of paper): Highly repetitive motion Palmar flexion greater than 30 degrees, dorsiflexion greater than 45 degrees, or radial deviation greater than 30 degrees ----------------------------------------------------------- No other risk factors	More than 3 hours total/day -------------------- More than 4 hours total/day
         Gripping an unsupported object(s) weighing 10 lbs or more/hand, or gripping with a force of 10 lbs or more/hand (comparable to clamping light duty automotive jumper cables onto a battery): *Handles should be rounded and soft, with at least 1-2.5” in diameter grips at least 5” long. Highly repetitive motion Palmar flexion greater than 30 degrees, dorsiflexion greater than 45 degrees, or radial deviation greater than 30 degrees ----------------------------------------------------------- No other risk factors	More than 3 hours total/day ------------------- More than 4 hours total/day
         Repetitive Motion (using the same motion with little or no variation every few seconds), excluding keying activities: High, forceful exertions with the hands, with palmar flexion greater than 30 degrees, dorsiflexion greater than 45 degrees, or radial deviation greater than 30 degrees ----------------------------------------------------------- No other risk factors	More than 2 hours total/day -------------------More than 6 hours total/day
         Intensive Keying: Palmar flexion greater than 30 degrees, dorsiflexion greater than 45 degrees, or radial deviation greater than 30 degrees ----------------------------------------------------------- No other risk factors	More than 4 hours total/day ------------------- More than 7 hours total/day
         Repeated Impact: Using the hand (heel/base of palm) as a hammer more than once/minute	More than 2 hours total/day
         Vibration: Two determinants of the tolerability of segmental vibration of the hand are the frequency and the acceleration of the motion of the vibrating tool, with lower frequencies being more poorly tolerated at a given level of imposed acceleration, expressed below in multiples of the acceleration due to gravity (10m/sec/sec). Frequency range 8-15 Hz and acceleration 6 g Frequency range 80 Hz and acceleration 40 g Frequency range 250 Hz and acceleration 250 g ---------------------------------------------------------- Frequency range 8-15 Hz and acceleration 1.5 g Frequency range 80 Hz and acceleration 6 g Frequency range 250 Hz and acceleration 20 g	More than 30 minutes at a time -------------------- More than 4 hours at a time

   5. 5. Medications including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), oral steroids, diuretics, and pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) have not been shown to have significant long-term beneficial effect in treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Although NSAIDS are not curative, they and other analgesics may provide symptomatic relief. All narcotics and habituating medications should be prescribed with strict time, quantity, and duration guidelines with a definite cessation parameter. Prescribing these drugs on an as needed basis (PRN) should almost always be avoided.

      1. a. Vitamin B6: Randomized trials have demonstrated conflicting results. Higher doses may result in development of a toxic peripheral neuropathy. In the absence of definitive literature showing a beneficial effect, use of Vitamin B6 cannot be recommended.
      2. b. Oral Steroids: have been shown to have short-term symptomatic benefit but no long-term functional benefit and are not recommended due to possible side effects.

   6. 6. Occupational Rehabilitation Programs

      1. a. Non-Interdisciplinary. These programs are work-related, outcome-focused, individualized treatment programs. Objectives of the program include, but are not limited to, improvement of cardiopulmonary and neuromusculoskeletal functions (strength, endurance, movement, flexibility, stability, and motor control functions), patient education, and symptom relief. The goal is for patients to gain full or optimal function and return to work. The service may include the time-limited use of passive modalities with progression to achieve treatment and/or simulated/real work.

         1. i. Work Conditioning. These programs are usually initiated once reconditioning has been completed but may be offered at any time throughout the recovery phase. It should be initiated when imminent return of a patient to modified or full duty is not an option, but the prognosis for returning the patient to work at completion of the program is at least fair to good.

            1. (a). Length of visit: one to two hours per day
            2. (b). Frequency: two to five visits per week
            3. (c). Optimum duration: two to four weeks
            4. (d). Maximum duration: six weeks. Participation in a program beyond six weeks must be documented with respect to need and the ability to facilitate positive symptomatic or functional gains.

         2. ii. Work Simulation is a program where an individual completes specific work-related tasks for a particular job and return to work. Use of this program is appropriate when modified duty can only be partially accommodated in the work place, when modified duty in the work place is unavailable, or when the patient requires more structured supervision. The need for work place simulation should be based upon the results of a Functional Capacity Evaluation and or Job site Analysis.

            1. (a). Length of visit: two to six hours per day
            2. (b). Frequency: two to five visits per week
            3. (c). Optimum duration: two to four weeks
            4. (d). Maximum duration: six weeks. Participation in a program beyond six weeks must be documented with respect to need and the ability to facilitate positive symptomatic or functional gains.

      2. b. Interdisciplinary programs are characterized by a variety of disciplines that participate in the assessment, planning, and/or implementation of an injured workers program with the goal for patients to gain full or optimal function and return to work. There should be close interaction and integration among the disciplines to ensure that all members of the team interact to achieve team goals. These programs are for patients with greater levels of perceived disability, dysfunction, de-conditioning and psychological involvement. For patients with chronic pain, refer to the Chronic Pain Disorder Medical Treatment Guideline.

         1. i. Work Hardening is an interdisciplinary program addressing a patient’s employability and return to work. It includes a progressive increase in the number of hours per day that a patient completes work simulation tasks until the patient can tolerate a full workday. This is accomplished by addressing the medical, psychological, behavioral, physical, functional, and vocational components of employability and return-to-work.

         2. ii. This can include a highly structured program involving a team approach or can involve any of the components thereof. The interdisciplinary team should, at a minimum, be comprised of a qualified medical director who is board certified with documented training in occupational rehabilitation, team physicians having experience in occupational rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, case manager, and psychologist. As appropriate, the team may also include: chiropractor, RN, or vocational specialist.

            1. (a). Length of visit: Up to eight hours/day
            2. (b). Frequency: two to five visits per week
            3. (c). Optimum duration: two to four weeks
            4. (d). Maximum duration: six weeks. Participation in a program beyond six weeks must be documented with respect to need and the ability to facilitate positive symptomatic or functional gains.

   7. 7. Orthotics/Immobilization with Splinting is a generally accepted, well-established and widely used therapeutic procedure. There is some evidence that splinting leads to more improvement in symptoms and hand function than watchful waiting alone. Because of limited patient compliance with day and night splinting in published studies, evidence of effectiveness is limited to nocturnal splinting alone. Splints should be loose and soft enough to maintain comfort while supporting the wrist in a relatively neutral position. This can be accomplished using a soft or rigid splint with a metal or plastic support. Splint comfort is critical and may affect compliance. Although off-the-shelf splints are usually sufficient, custom thermoplastic splints may provide better fit for certain patients.

      1. a. Splints may be effective when worn at night or during portions of the day, depending on activities. Most studies show that full time night splinting for a total of four to six weeks is the most effective protocol. Depending on job activities, intermittent daytime splinting can also be helpful. Splint use is rarely mandatory. Providers should be aware that over-usage is counterproductive, and should counsel patients to minimize daytime splint use in order avoid detrimental effects such as stiffness and dependency over time.

      2. b. Splinting is generally effective for milder cases of CTS. Long-term benefit has not been established. An effect should be seen in two-sour weeks.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: one-four weeks. If, after four weeks, the patient has partial improvement, continue to follow since neuropathy may worsen, even in the face of diminished symptoms.
         2. ii. Frequency: Nightly. Daytime intermittent, depending on symptoms and activities
         3. iii. Optimum duration: four to eight weeks
         4. iv. Maximum duration: two to four months. If symptoms persist, consideration should be given to either repeating electrodiagnostic studies or to more aggressive treatment.

   8. 8. Patient Education

      1. a. No treatment plan is complete without addressing issues of individual and/or group patient education as a means of prolonging the beneficial effects of treatment, as well as facilitating self-management of symptoms and injury prevention. The patient should be encouraged to take an active role in the establishment of functional outcome goals. They should be educated on their specific injury, assessment findings, and plan of treatment. Instruction on proper body mechanics and posture, positions to avoid, self-care for exacerbation of symptoms, and home exercise should also be addressed.

         1. i. Time to produce effect: Varies with individual patient
         2. ii. Frequency: Should occur at every visit

   9. 9. Personality/Psychological/Psychiatric/
      Psychosocial Intervention is generally accepted, widely used and well established. This group of therapeutic and diagnostic modalities includes, but is not limited to, individual counseling, group therapy, stress management, psychosocial crises intervention, hypnosis and meditation. Any screening or diagnostic workup should clarify and distinguish between preexisting versus aggravated versus purely causative psychological conditions. Psychosocial intervention is recommended as an important component in the total management program that should be implemented as soon as the problem is identified. This can be used alone or in conjunction with other treatment modalities. Providers treating patients with chronic pain should refer to the Chronic Pain Disorder Medical Treatment Guidelines.

      1. a. Time to produce effect: two to four weeks
      2. b. Frequency: one to three times weekly for the first 4 weeks (excluding hospitalization, if required), decreasing to one to two times per week for the second month. Thereafter, two to four times monthly.
      3. c. Optimum duration: six weeks to three months
      4. d. Maximum duration: 3 to 12 months. Counseling is not intended to delay but to enhance functional recovery. For select patients, longer supervised treatment may required and if further counseling beyond 3 months is indicated, documentation addressing which pertinent issues are pre-existing versus aggravated versus causative, as well as projecting a realistic functional prognosis, should be provided by the authorized treating provider every 4 to 6 weeks during treatment.

   10. 10. Restriction of Activities. Continuation of normal daily activities is the recommendation for acute and chronic pain without neurologic symptoms. There is good evidence against the use of bed rest in cases without neurologic symptoms. Bed rest may lead to de-conditioning and impair rehabilitation. Complete work cessation should be avoided, if possible, since it often further aggravates the pain presentation. Modified return-to-work is almost always more efficacious and rarely contraindicated in the vast majority of injured workers with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

       1. a. Medication use in the treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is appropriate for controlling acute and chronic pain and inflammation. Use of medications will vary widely due to the spectrum of injuries from simple strains to post-surgical healing. All drugs should be used according to patient needs. A thorough medication history, including use of alternative and over the counter medications, should be performed at the time of the initial visit and updated periodically.

   11. 11. Return to Work. Early return-to-work should be a prime goal in treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome given the poor prognosis for the injured employee who is out of work for more than six months. The employee and employer should be educated in the benefits of early return-to-work. When attempting to return an employee with CTS to the workplace, clear, objective physical restrictions that apply to both work and non-work related activities should be specified by the provider. Good communication between the provider, employee, and employer is essential. Return-to-work is any work or duty that the employee can safely perform, which may not be the worker's regular job activities. Due to the large variety of jobs and the spectrum of severity of CTS, it is not possible for the OWCA to make specific return-to-work guidelines, but the following general approach is recommended:

       1. a. Establishment of Return-To-Work. Ascertainment of return-to-work status is part of the medical treatment and rehabilitation plan, and should be addressed at every visit. Limitations in ADLs should also be reviewed at every encounter, and help to provide the basis for work restrictions provided they are consistent with objective findings. The OWCA recognizes that employers vary in their ability to accommodate restricted duty, but encourages employers to be active participants and advocates for early return-to-work. In most cases, the patient can be returned to work in some capacity, either at a modified job or alternate position, immediately unless there are extenuating circumstances, which should be thoroughly documented and communicated to the employer. Return-to-work status should be periodically reevaluated, at intervals generally not to exceed three weeks, and should show steady progression towards full activities and full duty.
       2. b. Establishment of Activity Level Restrictions: It is the responsibility of the physician/provider to provide both the employee and employer clear, concise, and specific restrictions that apply to both work and non-work related activities. The employer is responsible to determine whether modified duty can be provided within the medically determined restrictions. Refer to the “Job Site Alteration” section for specific activity and ergonomic factors to be considered when establishing work restrictions for an employee with CTS.
       3. c. Compliance with Activity Level Restrictions: The employee's compliance with the activity level restrictions is an important part of the treatment plan and should be reviewed at each visit. In some cases, a job site analysis, a functional capacity evaluation, or other special testing may be required to facilitate return-to-work and document compliance. Refer to the “Job Site Alteration” and “Work Tolerance Screening” sections.

   12. 12. Therapy - Active.

       1. a. Active therapies are based on the philosophy that therapeutic exercises and/or activities are beneficial for restoring flexibility, strength, endurance, function, range of motion, and alleviating discomfort. Active therapy requires an internal effort by the individual to complete a specific exercise or task, and thus assists in developing skills promoting independence to allow self-care to continue after discharge. This form of therapy requires supervision from a therapist or medical provider such as verbal, visual, and/or tactile instructions(s). At times a provider may help stabilize the patient or guide the movement pattern, but the energy required to complete the task is predominately executed by the patient.
       2. b. Patients should be instructed to continue active therapies at home as an extension of the treatment process in order to maintain improvement levels. Home exercise can include exercise with or without mechanical assistance or resistance and functional activities with assistance devices.

       3. c. Interventions are selected based on the complexity of the presenting dysfunction with ongoing examination, evaluation and modification of the plan of care as improvement or lack thereof occurs. Change and/or discontinuation of an intervention should occur if there is attainment of expected goals/outcome, lack of progress, lack of tolerance and/or lack of motivation. Passive interventions/ modalities may only be used as adjuncts to the active program.

          1. i. Nerve Gliding exercises consist of a series of flexion and extension movements of the hand and wrist that produce tension and longitudinal movement along the length of the median and other nerves of the upper extremity. These exercises are based on the principle that the tissues of the peripheral nervous system are designed for movement, and that tension and glide (excursion) of nerves may have an effect on neurophysiology through alterations in vascular and axoplasmic flow. Biomechanical principles have been more thoroughly studied than clinical outcomes. Randomized trials have been lacking or have suffered from design flaws that preclude sound conclusions of the effectiveness of these exercises, but these flaws have tended to underestimate rather than overestimate the usefulness of nerve gliding. The exercises are simple to perform and can be done by the patient after brief instruction. It is considered accepted therapy for CTS.

             1. (a). Time to Produce Effect: two-four weeks
             2. (b). Frequency: Up to five times per day by patient (patient-initiated)
             3. (c). Optimum Duration: two sessions
             4. (d). Maximum Duration: three sessions
          2. ii. Instruction in Therapeutic Exercise. Instruction should focus on alleviating associated myofascial symptoms. Please refer to the Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) guideline for information on therapeutic exercise techniques.
          3. iii. Proper Work Techniques. Please refer to the “Job Site Evaluation” and “Job Site Alteration” sections of this guideline.

   13. 13. Therapy-Passive. Therapy includes those treatment modalities that do not require energy expenditure on the part of the patient. They are principally effective during the early phases of treatment and are directed at controlling symptoms such as pain, inflammation and swelling and to improve the rate of healing soft tissue injuries. They should be used in adjunct with active therapies. They may be used intermittently as a therapist deems appropriate or regularly if there are specific goals with objectively measured functional improvements during treatment. Diathermies have not been shown to be beneficial to patients with CTS and may interfere with nerve conduction.

       1. a. Manual Therapy Techniques are passive interventions in which the providers use his or her hands to administer skilled movements designed to modulate pain; increase joint range of motion; reduce/eliminate soft tissue swelling, inflammation, or restriction; induce relaxation; and improve contractile and non-contractile tissue extensibility. These techniques are applied only after a thorough examination is performed to identify those for whom manual therapy would be contraindicated or for whom manual therapy must be applied with caution. Soft tissue mobilization/manipulation techniques are generally accepted and widely used adjunctive treatment modalities in the treatment of myofascial symptoms related to carpal tunnel syndrome. Mobilization and manipulation can include myofascial release therapy, muscle energy techniques, neural gliding, high velocity, low amplitude (HVLA) technique, osteopathic manipulation, joint mobilization and non-force techniques.

          1. i. Time to produce effect: two to six treatments
          2. ii. Frequency: one to three times/week, decreasing over time
          3. iii. Optimum duration: four to six weeks
          4. iv. Maximum duration: eight to ten weeks
       2. b. Ultrasound: There is some evidence that ultrasound may be effective in symptom relief and in improving nerve conduction in mild to moderate cases of CTS. No studies have demonstrated long-term functional benefit. It may be used in conjunction with an active therapy program for non-surgical patients who do not improve with splinting and activity modification. It is not known if there are any long-term deleterious neurological effects from ultrasound.

       3. c. Microcurrent TENS: There is some evidence that concurrent application of microamperage TENS applied to distinct acupuncture points and low-level laser treatment may be useful in treatment of mild to moderate CTS. This treatment may be useful for patients not responding to initial conservative treatment or who wish to avoid surgery. Patient selection criteria should include absence of denervation on EMG and motor latencies not exceeding 7 ms. The effects of microamperage TENS and low-level laser have not been differentiated; there is no evidence to suggest whether only one component is effective or the combination of both is required.

          1. i. Time to produce effect: one week
          2. ii. Frequency: three sessions per week
          3. iii. Optimum duration: three weeks
          4. iv. Maximum duration: four weeks
          5. v. Other Passive Therapy: For associated myofascial symptoms, please refer to the Cumulative Trauma Disorder guideline.
   14. 14. Vocational Rehabilitation is a generally accepted intervention. Initiation of vocational rehabilitation requires adequate evaluation of patients for quantification highest functional level, motivation, and achievement of maximum medical improvement. Vocational rehabilitation may be as simple as returning to the original job or as complicated as being retrained for a new occupation. It may also be beneficial for full vocational rehabilitation to be started before MMI if it is evident that the injured worker will be unable to return to his/her previous occupation. A positive goal and direction may aid the patient in decreasing stress and depression and promote optimum rehabilitation.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 23:1203.1.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Office of Workers Compensation Administration, LR 37:1743 (June 2011), amended LR 47:1655 (November 2021).