[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Recovery after carpal tunnel surgery]

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[Text on screen: Hisham Awan, MD
Orthopaedic Surgery – Hand Surgery
Ohio State Wexner Medical Center]

Hisham Awan, MD: So, recovery after carpal tunnel surgery is a little bit variable, depending on how severe the symptoms are and which method is used to treat it. For the endoscopic technique, which is my preference, the patient is placed in a soft wrap after the surgery. They keep that on for the first couple days. There's one stitch that's removed about a week later.

The patient is instructed that they can start using their hand immediately after the surgery. So, for typing, light activities, they can resume pretty much all activities. There's not really any major restrictions that I give patients. However, there is some soreness after surgery and it takes a little time for the strength to come back. But, people who do clerical work often can go back to work within a couple days. People who do manual labor, it may take them three to four, sometimes six weeks, to return, depending on how heavy their job is.

The open release has similar recovery, although studies have shown that the return to work can be two or three weeks later as opposed to the endoscopic technique. So, there's definitely an increased, an improved, quicker return to work and activities with the endoscopic as opposed to the open technique.

[Text on screen: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
For more information, visit: go.osu.edu/carpal_tunnel]

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