The CTS And Repetitive Motion Debate

When you say Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, an almost automatic response to this usually is computer use.

However there seems to be some dispute or controversy as regards CTS; and whether it is a work related or occupational disease.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is said to be aggravated by repetitive grasping and manipulating activities and one view says that the exposure can be cumulative.

The view also holds that symptoms are commonly exacerbated by forceful and repetitive use of the hand and wrists in industrial occupations.

However other factors are responsible for this disease such as trauma, pregnancy, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, acromegaly, mucopolysaccharidoses, or hypothyroidism. There has also been a genetic predisposition to this disease noted.

There is also a view that psychosocial factors contribute to CTS numbers, wherein non specific pain is also attributed to and mislabeled as CTS.

Factors such as job pressures, inadequate support from colleges and the institution and job dissatisfaction are some psychological ones that are thought to correlate to increased pain at work. Since CTS has more to do with feelings of numbness than pain, the actual connection between job related stresses and CTS is in doubt.

Research by some experts has shown that variables such as age, obesity, wrist dimensions and physical inactivity were actually stronger risk factors for CTS than workplace factors such as repetitive or forceful hand use.

Another major study carried out by the Mayo clinic noted that the incidence of CTS in workers perceived as doing repetitive motion work is in fact no more than the general populace and of those only about 3.7% actually had CTS.

One more Scandinavian study found that incidence of CTS among people engaged in repetitive motion employment was actually lower than among the general population.

The genetic factor contributing to CTS is also not to be underestimated. There is some evidence to support the claim that it is actually structural and biological causes that are of paramount importance in causing CTS and the strongest risk factor for this disease is actually genetic predisposition. This view holds that the environment or activity related causes are less important causal factors.

Even if current literature is not supporting of a definite causal link between CTS and specific work related activities, occupational risk factors such as repetitive tasks, posture, vibration, force etc are factors that cannot be discounted completely and they are likely to be contributive factors if not actual causal factors.

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