Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Silent Threat in the Industrial Setting.
Many workers will experience carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) throughout their careers; however, this condition is often underreported and not addressed until it’s too late. Carpal tunnel impacts 3x as many males as females and accounts for about 5% of all workplace injuries. This may seem like a small percentage, but the culture of underreporting in the industrial setting continues to limit the accuracy of these values. Just ask your employees—you’ll see.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
CTS arises when the median nerve, responsible for sensation and movement in your thumb, index, middle, and half of your ring finger, gets compressed within the carpal tunnel in your wrist. This compression can lead to tingling, numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist.
Common Causes of CTS in Industrial Settings
Repetitive assembly line work, prolonged computer use for data entry, operating heavy machinery or any jobs/tasks that require your wrist to be cocked in an odd position for prolonged periods of time.
Recognizing Symptoms Early
Early warning signs of CTS include numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hands and wrists. Workers should promptly report symptoms and seek medical assistance to prevent further irritation and compression to the nerve.
Modify Your Workplace
For office workers: adjust your chair height so your hands are level with or slightly below your elbows, keep your elbows close to your body, and consider an ergonomic keyboard and/or mouse to decrease strain on your wrists. Take regular stretching breaks to improve circulation and reduce compression on the nerve.
For industrial workers, your workstation setup and how you hold/use your tools are essential. Working with a neutral wrist and stretching every 30 minutes to an hour is essential for longevity.
Simple adjustments to the height and position of the part you are working on can help. You can also use Inline power tools, link inline drills, wrenches, etc., and other devices with a modified or modifiable grip position.
Stretching: Having the workers stretch your wrists, shoulders, and neck before, during, and after your shift will help combat the cumulative fatigue of your job. This will help improve flexibility and reduce tension.
Disclaimer: Exercises are for educational purposes only and should not take the place of an evaluation or screen by a skilled clinician.
Postural reversals, such as moving out of forward-flexed, rounded shoulders and odd wrist positions, can help restore blood flow and provide a variety of movements necessary for health and wellness.
Implement a rotation strategy for workers to rotate between jobs requiring dissimilar movements and muscle groups to complete each task. If you’re unsure what jobs should be included in the rotation schedule, consider a job site analysis.
Emphasize the importance of proper training, rotation of tasks, and implementing ergonomic interventions. Encourage workers to practice wrist stretches and exercises to improve flexibility and reduce tension.
Seek medical attention if symptoms of CTS persist or worsen to treat this condition and avoid surgery. Treatments may include wrist splints, injury management under OSHA first aid, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medications as recommended by a nurse or other medical professional.
OSHA first aid can offer massage and KT taping to decrease overall strain; soft splints can help keep your wrist neutral to reduce compression on the nerve; ergonomic recommendations and a review of any company-wide stretching or strengthening programs will also benefit. If the injury escalates from a reportable to a recordable injury, physical therapists can evaluate and treat based on their finding with manual therapy, trigger point dry needling, or a therapeutic exercise program that progresses to include functional activities closely related to your job tasks.
Conclusion
If you have numbness and tingling in your hands, it’s time to act. We can take plenty of conservative measures to decrease those sensations, improve overall function, and prevent surgery. Let’s chat to see what options are available for you and your employees.