- Hi, I'm Bob Schrupp Physical Therapist
- Brad Heineck Physical Therapist.
- And together we are the most famous physical therapists
on the internet
- in our opinion
- Of course
We're gonna give you three quick tests
today to decide,
to help you decide
whether or not you have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Now you're not a doctor.
We're not doctors, we're physical therapists,
but you can, I think this will help you decide
whether or not you should go
in the doctor to see 'em for the carpal tunnel syndrome.
- And even if you see a doctor and they diagnose
with the carpal tunnel syndrome, it could be a misdiagnosis.
- Sure.
- But this is a free test,
- A tool, you know they say
these are supposed to be used by professionals
but why can't we do 'em?
- Right
- So first off carpal tunnel syndrome, basically quite often
what you're gonna have is you're gonna feel some
numbness or tingling in the hand.
And, and quite often it's the median nerve
which affects the thumb,
the first finger the second finger
and half of the third finger.
Well, I guess it'd be the fourth finger really?
- Right. Well, they call it digits. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
but the ring finger and you know
- Right
- Yeah
- So this one, this one, this one and
half of this one
- Kinda like my little piggy went to the market.
- Yeah, there you go.
And they stayed home now,
but they, if it's
if you're numbness is way over here
that's not probably not carpal tunnel syndrome then.
- right
- So the tests that we're doing
we're looking for symptoms to occur in these digits.
Okay. 1, 2, 3, and a half.
- Okay.
- All right? Let's go with the first one.
- Alright
- It's called Phalen's test.
These tests are always named after somebody
aren't they, Brad?
- Yes.
- So very simply. You're gonna put your wrists
in extreme flexion like this.
- If you look wow, you got a lot more flexibility
- and you're gonna do this for 30 to 60 seconds, at least
- Yes.
- 30 to 60 seconds. And what you're looking for
are symptoms to start being recreated.
- right
- Are you starting to feel the numbness and the tingling
- In those fingers
- Right
- Yep. That's number one, test number one.
Number two is called Tinel's or
tapping percussion.
Percussion.
- Don't look down there, Bob, they'll think
we don't know what we're doing.
- Well, I don't know what the other name for it,
I always call it Tinel's
- Right
- So Tinel
- I call it the tap test
- This one. You're gonna probably wanna zoom in Nancy.
Here's the crease of the hand. Okay?
And right here, you've got kind of a meaty part
of the hand and another meaty part of the hand.
Right between those two, right above that crease,
you're gonna tap on this.
You're gonna tap for 30 seconds and you're looking again.
Does it recreate the numbness or the tingling?
Some of bad symptoms.
- And number three?
- Number three is the compression test.
I didn't even have to look at that, Brad, did I?
- You didn't.
- Alright. The compression test.
What you're gonna do is you're gonna take both thumbs
and put it in that same spot.
Here's the crease.
There's a meaty portion of the thumb, meaty portion there.
You're gonna put both thumbs right here
and press fairly hard.
- Mmm hmm
- You're gonna press for 30 seconds
and you're looking for again, symptoms.
- Sure. Now he is not pressing so hard
that it hurts from the pressure
- Right. Now You could, you probably
could do that yourself, right Brad?
- Right
- You know crossover the thumb like that.
- There you go.
- I dunno where the thick camera is.
- We can look at that one though, Bob.
- I don't know if it's focused in
- But it, it really
and one reason that often times carpal tunnel is treated
by occupational therapists
but physical therapists can do it.
But I know with the facility, I am at
a lot of times the OT will do it,
- Mm hmm
- but they do the same tests.
- Right. And if you wanna look for something else
that you might see a lot of times, if you compare the, the
this meaty part on one thumb to the other
if you only have it in one hand
that might actually have what we call atrophy.
It may have shrunk down a little bit
cuz that's the nerve supplies, the,
the, to the muscle then.
And it actually can actually
where, you know atrophy at one time
- Right. And those would be people that had the symptoms
for quite some time and lose some strength.
- So those are three quick tests you could try.
And again, if they're positive, you can go
to your doctor and, and, and see if, what's the next step.
- Right.
- Take care.
- (happy music)