Fact · Accessibility and health
49.7words per minute
Before open carpal tunnel release, the 27 patients in a 2016 study typed at an average of 49.7 words per minute on a short online test.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Average typing speed decreased significantly from 49.7 ± 2.7 words-per-minute (WPM) preoperatively to 45.2 ± 3.1 WPM at 8–10 days postoperatively.”
The Effect of Carpal Tunnel Release on Typing Performance, Justin W Zumsteg et al., The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2016, Results.
Open the original (DOI 10.1016/j.jhsa.2016.10.005)- What it measures
- Patients typed about 500 characters of a paragraph on an online platform. The speed is the average for the group before surgery.
- What it does not show
- Open release only, 27 patients, and one short passage. It does not measure comfort or long writing sessions.