Postoperative Functional Recovery After Carpal Tunnel Release: A Narrative Review on Exercise-Based Rehabilitation

TL;DR

This review examines how exercise-based rehabilitation affects hand function recovery after carpal tunnel surgery, highlighting the need for better research on effective postoperative care.

Contribution

The paper emphasizes the under-researched role of exercise-based rehabilitation in postoperative recovery after carpal tunnel release.

Findings

Surgical decompression improves sensory symptoms but often delays the recovery of hand strength and function.

Exercise-based rehabilitation shows promise but lacks consistent study designs and outcomes.

Well-designed studies are needed to determine the optimal role of exercise in postoperative recovery.

Abstract

Carpal tunnel release is a commonly performed surgical procedure that effectively alleviates compressive symptoms in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. However, postoperative recovery of hand function, including grip strength, pinch strength, and coordinated hand use, varies considerably among individuals. This variability indicates that functional recovery is influenced by factors beyond the surgical intervention itself. This narrative review synthesizes the existing literature on postoperative functional recovery following carpal tunnel release, with emphasis on functional outcomes, rehabilitation strategies, and exercise-based interventions. Surgical decompression consistently improves sensory symptoms; however, restoration of hand strength and overall functional performance is frequently delayed and heterogeneous. Although early mobilization is generally considered safe, it does not adequately address persistent deficits in strength, coordination, or endurance. Exercise-based rehabilitation approaches-including nerve and tendon gliding exercises and progressive strengthening-are biologically plausible and potentially relevant to postoperative recovery, yet the existing literature is characterized by variability in study design, intervention protocols, and outcome assessment. Postoperative recovery following carpal tunnel release represents a multifactorial process. Exercise-based rehabilitation is a promising but insufficiently studied modifiable component of postoperative care. Well-designed prospective studies are required to clarify its role in optimizing functional recovery after carpal tunnel surgery.