Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Median Nerve in Tennis Training Athletes

Objectives: Racquet using is a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Ultrasonography (US) has been used for diagnosis of CTS, recently. We aimed to determine the possible CTS related effects of tennis training on median nerve by US. Patients and Methods: Thirty two voluntary students who had not played any racquet sports before and had no symptoms of CTS were included in the study. Participants were examined for CTS and their dominant and non-dominant hands underwent US before and after 14 weeks of tennis training. The cross-sectional area of the median nerve of each participant was measured at the carpal tunnel proximal, inlet, and outlet by US. Results: There was no significant increase related to CTS in measurement of the cross- sectional area of the median nerve of dominant and non dominant hands at all three levels and also symptoms and physical examinations of participants for CTS were negative after tennis training. Conclusion: We did not observe any significant damage in median nerve related to CTS at the end of the 14 weeks of tennis training. Further prospective studies with larger number of patients in a longer time period are needed to demonstrate early changes of the median nerve pointing CTS in tennis sports by US.