I am scheduled to have surgery done on both of my wrists in the near future. I have been hearing accounts of people having greater hand weakness after surgery than before, even after recovery. Does anyne agree with this. I am concerned about being able to grip a hammer and be able to do jobs that require grip strength. Thanks.

One probably should keep in mind, the people that are posting the less than desirable outcomes, are posting looking for answers as well? If they had had good outcomes, most of them probably wouldn't be posting.

I had a really good outcome on my right hand, done 12 years ago. Open Ct release. I've had some problems post surgery from left hand CT release done last February. I do have grip strength ...just don't like touching things without a glove on. I am scheduled for hand surgery Dec. 19 to try to correct problem....I didn't have prior to CT release in Feb.

Have you talked over your concerns with your doctor? Will you have physical therapy post op? Do you know how many carpal tunnel release surgeries your doctor has done? Percentage of good outcomes? If things weren't so good, what was the majority of those problems.
Also, it depends on how bad the carpal tunnel problem is .....if there is atrophy or not....as some things might not get better.

jbear,
I had weakness after the stitches came out both times. You have to do exercises to get your strength back. It's part of physical therapy.

I didn't have much strength after my Feb 05 CT release...had to go to physical therapy to get some strength.

I feel I have just as much strength in my hand after my surgery Dec 10 of 05
as I had before the surgery, which was really quite a bit for having nerve damage. Nerve damage was from Feb 05 surgery when the surgeon nicked the nerve.

Taimse what type of surgery did you have open ctr or edno ctr?

Thanks,

Rightee

Rightee,
I had open on both of mine and now that I'm months post op (July & Oct 2005), I no longer have the weakness that I did before surgery. However, I still have limits. I had a cold and I was stuck at home sick for most of the beginning of February which meant being online a lot. I made my fingers sore from too much typing. But a nights rest and they feel better the next day. I'm still not 100% but I'm probably about 80%. A lady in her 70s at my Curves club had cts surgery many years ago and she said I should still be healing. I do feel little pings in my wrist region from time to time.