aka. “Tinel’s Test at the Wrist”
Patient Position
- Seated (or standing)
- Elbow flexed, forearm supinated, and wrist in slight extension
Procedure Steps
- Examiner taps the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel and also just proximal to it [can use reflex hammer or fingers]
Positive Sign / Significance
- Tingling or pain in the median nerve distribution (thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring fingers) = Carpal tunnel syndrome
Comments
- Also useful in identifying the most proximal point of nerve regeneration, or the most distal point of nerve degeneration.
- For more details on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), click here
