Sensory Nerve Conduction Velocity Predicts Improvement of Hand Function with Nerve Gliding Exercise Following Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery.

This study aims to investigate the effects of nerve gliding exercise following carpal tunnel release surgery (NGE-CTRS) and the probing factors affecting the effect of NGE-CTRS on hand function. A total of 86 patients after CTRS participated. Grip strength (grip-s), pinch strength (pinch-s), Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test (SWMT), two-point discrimination (2PD), numbness, pain, and Phalen test (Phalen) were measured and compared between pre- and post-NGE-CTRS. The results showed that the combination of surgery and NGE significantly improved the postoperative grip-s, pinch-s, SWMT, 2PD, numbness, and Phalen; however, no improvement was observed in pain. Background factors that influenced the improved grip-s and pinch-s included gender and preoperative sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV). Additionally, numbness and Phalen were not affected by age, gender, fault side, bilateral, trigger finger, dialysis, thenar eminence atrophy, motor nerve conduction velocity, SCV, the start of treatment, and occupational therapy intervention. In conclusion, the combination of surgical procedures and NGE showed a high improvement. SCV and time-to-start treatment of intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome may be useful in predicting the function after the intervention.

Premature oral pre-shaping for feeding in elderly population with risk of aspiration pneumonia.

The aim of this study was to determine the abnormal hand and mouth behavior before actual swallowing for eating in elderly people with high risk of aspiration pneumonia. Ten elderly people with a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia (EAP), 15 healthy elderly (HE) people, and 21 young adults (YA) were enrolled. The feeding time and the timing of the maximum distance between the upper and lower lips were extracted using a motion analyzer during self-feeding and assisted-feeding. The results showed that feeding time in EAP was significantly longer than that for the other groups in self- and assisted-feeding. In self-feeding, the timing of mouth-preparation in the EAP group was significantly earlier than that in the other groups; conversely, in assisted-feeding, the timing in EAP was significantly delayed. Our results indicate that abnormal preparation of mouth-shape and movement time of hand before actual swallowing in both self- and assisted-feeding may exist in elderly people with previous experience of aspiration pneumonia.