Could a simple tape ease hand pain without surgery?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 to 65 years * Confirmed clinical diagnosis of lacertus syndrome established by a physician specializing in orthopedics, physical medicine, or neurology following a standardized multi-modal diagnostic protocol * Positive Hagert's triad, defined as the presence of all three of the following: (1) localized tenderness upon palpation of the lacertus fibrosus, (2) reproduction of symptoms during resisted forearm pronation, and (3) reproduction of symptoms during resisted elbow flexion * Positive Orthogonal Kinesiotaping Test (OKT) conducted by a trained examiner * Neurological evaluation excluding other median nerve entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome * Electrodiagnostic studies (electromyography and nerve conduction studies) confirming median nerve involvement and ruling out alternative sources of neural compromise including cervical radiculopathy * Symptom duration of at least 4 weeks to ensure subacute to chronic presentation * Willing and able to provide written informed consent * Able to attend all scheduled study visits and follow the home treatment protocol Exclusion Criteria: * Previous surgery for lacertus syndrome or any other median nerve entrapment condition in the affected arm * Known allergy to Kinesio tape or adhesive materials * Dermatological condition at the intended site of tape application (e.g., open wounds, active skin infection, eczema, psoriasis) * Neurological disorder that could confound the assessment of lacertus syndrome symptoms (e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, cervical radiculopathy) * Musculoskeletal disorder in the affected upper extremity that could confound symptom assessment (e.g., lateral or medial epicondylitis, shoulder impingement, rheumatoid arthritis affecting the hand or wrist) * Current pregnancy * Receipt of corticosteroid injection for lacertus syndrome within the past 3 months * Current use of other therapeutic taping on the affected arm * Cognitive impairment that would prevent understanding of study procedures or self-application of Kinesio tape