Carpal tunnel syndrome affects 1 out of 20 people in the United States and is commonly associated with occupations that require repetitive hand movements. It occurs when compression of the median nerve at the wrist increases carpal tunnel pressure, resulting in numbness or burning sensations in the hand and reduced grip strength and movement.

Our independent economic analysis examined the cost-effectiveness of physical therapist services compared with surgery to manage carpal tunnel syndrome*. We discovered physical therapy helps alleviate unnecessary medical costs and potential complications from surgery for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

What does this mean?

If you consider the dollar value assigned to the quality-of-life benefits from receiving treatment, minus the payments for services and all the hidden costs of a patient's time, pain, and missed life events; and compare the net result of each treatment, physical therapy comes out ahead by over $39,000.

Physical therapy also helps patients:

• Gain immediate short-term pain relief.
• Avoid unnecessary medical costs.
• Increase hand and wrist strength while improving long-term function, ultimately contributing to better health.
• Reduce risks of having complications that require health care services down the road.

Learn more about the economic value of physical therapy.  

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*The analysis is based on the 2019 study "Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation of Manual Physical Therapy Versus Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Evidence From a Randomized Clinical Trial," by Fernández-de-las-Peñas and colleagues and published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.

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