Approach to neurorehabilitation in median nerve lesion

Lesions of the median nerve represent common peripheral neuropathies that lead to motor and sensory impairments in the hand and forearm. Patients experience functional limitations, pain, loss of fine motor skills, and a reduced quality of life. This paper describes the neurorehabilitation approach, with emphasis on kinesitherapy, sensory re-education, and multidisciplinary collaboration. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a structured kinesitherapy program on motor and sensory function in patients with median nerve lesions. Material and methods: The study included 12 patients with diagnosed median nerve lesion (7 men and 5 women), with an average age of 52 ± 8 years. Inclusion criteria were age 30–65 years, confirmed diagnosis by EMG and clinical tests, and absence of severe comorbidities (uncontrolled diabetes, severe cardiovascular disease). Each patient participated in 15 individual treatments (3 times a week for a period of 5 weeks). Preparatory part: breathing, manual stretching, relaxing massage. Main part: active and passive exercises, thumb opposition, tendon-gliding exercises, functional activities. Final part: relaxation and home program. Patients were evaluated at baseline, on day 15, and after 1 month using the following parameters: Grip strength (dynamometer), Pinch strength (pincer grip), QuickDASH score (functional disability), VAS (pain) and sensory discrimination (monofilaments, two-point test). The results demonstrate significant improvements in strength, sensory function, and pain reduction (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The application of a structured neurorehabilitation approach in patients with median nerve injury has the potential to lead to significant improvement in motor and sensory function, as well as pain reduction. The study confirms the importance of kinesitherapy as a fundamental element in the rehabilitation process and sets the basis for future real-world research.
Keywords: median nerve, neurorehabilitation, kinesitherapy, sensory re-education, peripheral neuropathy
Field: Public Health and Medicine