Fact · Accessibility and health
The AAOS patient guide says that keeping the wrist in a straight or neutral position reduces pressure on the nerve in the carpal tunnel, which is why a night splint holds the wrist that way.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Keeping your wrist in a straight or neutral position reduces pressure on the nerve in the carpal tunnel.”
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo (AAOS), n.d., Nonsurgical treatment section.
Open the original- What it measures
- The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons publishes this patient guide on carpal tunnel syndrome. It describes the mechanism behind bracing and splinting.
- What it does not show
- The page explains why a neutral wrist is the aim, but it is a patient guide and does not measure how much relief a splint gives. The trial evidence on splint benefit is in the 2023 Cochrane review.