Phalen’s Test: Difference between revisions

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'''Original Editor '''- [[User:Elizabeth Dallas|Elizabeth Dallas]]
'''Original Editor ''' - [[User:Elizabeth Dallas|Elizabeth Dallas]]


'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}  &nbsp; 
'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}   
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== Purpose<br> ==
== Purpose  ==


To test for carpal tunnel syndrome.<br>  
To test for carpal tunnel syndrome.
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== Technique<br> ==
== Technique  ==
 
Have the patient place flexed elbows on a table, allowing his or her wrists to fall into maximum flexion.&nbsp; The patient is asked to push the dorsal surface of their hands together and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. This position with increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel in effect pinch the median nerve between the transverse carpal ligament and the anterior boarder of the distal end of the radius. A positive sign produces paresthesia in the distribution of the median nerve; burning, tingling or numb sensation over the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. <ref name="Hospital">Urbano, FL. Tinel's Sign and Phalen's Maneuver: Physical Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Hosptial Physician 2000;Jul,39-44. http://www.turner-white.com/pdf/hp_jul00_tinel.pdf (accessed 20Dec2009)</ref><ref name="Wiki">Wikipedia-Phalens Maneuver. http://www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Phalen's_maneuver (accessed 20 Dec 2009)</ref>


Have the patient place flexed elbows on a table, allowing his or her wrists to fall into maximum flexion.&nbsp; The patient is asked to push the dorsal surface of their hands together and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. This position will increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel in effect pinch the median nerve between the transverse carpal ligament and the anterior border of the distal end of the radius. A positive sign produces paresthesia in the distribution of the median nerve; burning, tingling or numb sensation over the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. <ref name="Hospital">Urbano, FL. Tinel's Sign and Phalen's Maneuver: Physical Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Hosptial Physician 2000; Jul,39-44. http://www.turner-white.com/pdf/hp_jul00_tinel.pdf (accessed 20Dec2009)</ref><ref name="Wiki">Wikipedia-Phalens Maneuver. http://www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Phalen's_maneuver (accessed 20 Dec 2009)</ref>
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Specificity: 33%-88%<ref name="Wiki" />  
Specificity: 33%-88%<ref name="Wiki" />  


Due to the wide ranges of Sen and Sp in studies it has been concluded that the Phalen's maneuver should only be used in an adjunctive manner in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. <ref name="Hospital" />  
Due to the wide ranges of Sen and Sp in the literature, it has been concluded that the Phalen's maneuver should only be used in an adjunctive manner in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. <ref name="Hospital" />  


== Resources  ==
== Resources  ==
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add any relevant resources here  
add any relevant resources here  


== Recent Related Research (from [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed])  ==
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<rss>http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/erss.cgi?rss_guid=1PCP0_1iJQnMWIMvDh93jyd6tTNi_s_9mgSGt7wcjsKO5OIEP3</rss>
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== References  ==
== References  ==


References will automatically be added here, see [[Adding References|adding references tutorial]].
<references />


<references />
[[Category:Assessment]] [[Category:Wrist]] [[Category:Special Tests]] [[Category:Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedics]] [[Category:EIM Student Project 2]]
  [[Category:Assessment]] [[Category:EIM Student Project 2]] [[Category:Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedics]] [[Category:Special Tests]] [[Category:Wrist]]

Revision as of 19:47, 2 October 2017

Purpose[edit | edit source]

To test for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Technique[edit | edit source]

Have the patient place flexed elbows on a table, allowing his or her wrists to fall into maximum flexion.  The patient is asked to push the dorsal surface of their hands together and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. This position will increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel in effect pinch the median nerve between the transverse carpal ligament and the anterior border of the distal end of the radius. A positive sign produces paresthesia in the distribution of the median nerve; burning, tingling or numb sensation over the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. [1][2]

Evidence[edit | edit source]

Sensitivity: 51%-91%[2]

Specificity: 33%-88%[2]

Due to the wide ranges of Sen and Sp in the literature, it has been concluded that the Phalen's maneuver should only be used in an adjunctive manner in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. [1]

Resources[edit | edit source]

add any relevant resources here

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Urbano, FL. Tinel's Sign and Phalen's Maneuver: Physical Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Hosptial Physician 2000; Jul,39-44. http://www.turner-white.com/pdf/hp_jul00_tinel.pdf (accessed 20Dec2009)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wikipedia-Phalens Maneuver. http://www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Phalen's_maneuver (accessed 20 Dec 2009)