What Every PT Needs to Know About the 2026 Carpal Tunnel CPG
APTA Orthopedics Podcasts - Previously Ortho StaticShow Notes
This episode of the Did You Know podcast dives into the newly revised 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Hosts Lori Thein Brody and Jill Thein-Nissenbaum sit down with three of the guideline's expert contributors — Mia Erickson, Marsha Lawrence, and Kylie Scott — to unpack what changed since the 2019 version and what it means for clinical practice.
Topics include the best outcome measures for tracking change (Boston CTS Questionnaire, DASH/QuickDASH), the CTS-6 diagnostic tool, manual therapy interventions, the evidence (or lack thereof) behind shockwave therapy, laser, kinesiotaping, and dry needling, and how to know when a patient needs a surgical referral.
Whether you treat hands every day or only see carpal tunnel syndrome occasionally, this conversation breaks down the evidence into practical, clinic-ready takeaways.
Target Audience: physical therapists, hand therapists, orthopedic physical therapists, occupational therapists, DPT students, physical therapy educators, sports physical therapists, manual therapists, orthopedic clinicians, PT researchers, clinicians treating upper extremity conditions, APTA members
Want more content like this? Join APTA Orthopedics to access exclusive courses, research, and clinical resources designed to help you stay at the forefront of orthopedic physical therapy: https://www.orthopt.org/content/join
Links & Resources:
Watch the authors’ original webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbTEEFzZr6o&t=2906s
View the 2026 Hand Pain and Sensory Deficits: CTS CPG: https://www.orthopt.org/content/publications/pub-cpg/hand-pain-and-sensory-deficits-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-revision-2026
Test your knowledge with our Hand Pain and Sensory Deficits: CTS CPG fun quiz: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5T6FPS9
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