HomeBlogAssessing, diagnosing and managing radial tunnel syndrome
Assessing, diagnosing and managing radial tunnel syndrome
August 14, 2023
A disorder affecting the elbows and causing 4 percent of cases involving suspected lateral epicondylalgia, radial tunnel syndrome, or RTS, is a painful condition that athletes experience more frequently than others. Correctly assessing and diagnosing RTS is particularly challenging because there are several alternative diagnoses that clinicians must rule out. After it has been diagnosed, there are several approaches toms of RTS.
Why radial tunnel syndrome occurs
When a person’s muscles or upper-arm bones place pressure on the radial nerve, radial tunnel system may develop. The nerve compression may result in inflammation and neuropathy. Normally, the pressure occurs between the head of the radius and the supinato the elbow.
Evaluating radial tunnel syndrome
The assessment of RTS may involve subjective and objective evaluations combined with differential diagnoses. Imaging is not as useful for proper identification of the syndrome, but it may help to rule out degenerative elbow disorders.
Subjective assessment of RTS
People who are suffering from RTS commonly report the following:
Aggravation of the pain when using the upper arms
Pain that expresses at night, waking the patient
Pain in the central area of the elbow
No weakness in motor functioning
Clinicians will still need toms, including lateral epicondylalgia and others, however.
Objective assessment of radial tunnel syndrome
An objective assessment will involve a postural and neural examination. The clinician will also use palpitation and resistance supination and extension. In the postural examination, the clinician will assess the patient’s whole-body posture, looking for pathological signs in the proximal region. People who have radial tunnel syndrome often have positive results on tension tests that are performed on their radial nerves during the neural examination.
The clinician may palpitate the supinators, and they may find that resistance extension is painful and weak.
Management of RTS
The management of radial tunnel syndrome is poorly understood because of a lack of research. Some studies have indicated that there is a potential benefit of corticosteroid injections or physiotherapy. Other management techniques may include nerve gliding and stretching exercises. Manual therapies that may be beneficial include spinal manipulation, manual soft tissue and peripheral therapies.
The incidence of the disorder in the workplace may be prevented by making ergonomic changes to decrease the pressure and alleviate the pain.
Radial tunnel syndrome presents a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. When it is correctly identified, the symptoms may be alleviated.
About the Author
Dr. Lev Kalika is a world-recognized expert in musculoskeletal ultrasonography, with 20+ years of clinical experience in advanced rehabilitative medicine. In addition to operating his clinical practice in Manhattan, he regularly publishes peer-reviewed research on ultrasound-guided therapies and procedures.
Dr. Kalika is an esteemed member of the International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment ((SMST), and the only clinician in New York certified by the ISMST to perform extracorporeal shockwave therapy. He is also an active member of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), and has developed his own unique approach to dynamic functional and fascial ultrasonography.
In this instance, an athlete was originally diagnosed with minor quadriceps muscle strain and was treated for four weeks, with unsatisfactory results. When he came to our clinic, the muscle was not healing, and the patients’ muscle tissue had already begun to atrophy.
Upon examination using MSUS, we discovered that he had a full muscle thickness tear that had been overlooked by his previous provider. To mitigate damage and promote healing, surgery should have been performed immediately after the injury occurred. Because of misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, the patient now has permanent damage that cannot be corrected.
The most important advantage of Ultrasound over MRI imaging is its ability to zero in on the symptomatic region and obtain imaging, with active participation and feedback from the patient. Using dynamic MSUS, we can see what happens when patients contract their muscles, something that cannot be done with MRI. From a diagnostic perspective, this interaction is invaluable.
Dynamic ultrasonography examination demonstrating the full thickness tear and already occurring muscle atrophy due to misdiagnosis and not referring the patient to proper diagnostic workup
Demonstration of how very small muscle defect is made and revealed to be a complete tear with muscle contraction under diagnostic sonography (not possible with MRI)
Complete tear of rectus femoris with large hematoma (blood)
Separation of muscle ends due to tear elicited on dynamic sonography examination
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