Carpal tunnel syndrome and work organisation in repetitive work: a cross sectional study in France. Study Group on Repetitive Work.

Abstract

Objectives-To study the determinants of signs of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in repetitive industrial work, with special attention to occupational constraints at group level and management practices of the companies. Method-a cross sectional study was conducted in three sectors: assembly line; clothing and shoe industry; food industry. A total of 1210 workers in repetitive work, from 53 diVerent companies, was compared with a control group of 337 workers. Constraints at the workplace were partly self declared, and partly assessed by the occupational physicians in charge of the employees of the company. The definition of CTS was based on a standardised clinical examination. Results-CTS was associated with repetitive work, especially packaging. It was more frequent among subjects who declared psychological and psychosomatic problems and those with a body mass index >27. Dissatisfaction with work, lack of job control, short cycle time, and having to press repeatedly with the hand were associated with the syndrome. An odds ratio (OR) of 2.24 was found for "just in time" production. Conclusions-The results emphasise the complexity of the determinants of CTS, the role of psychosocial factors at work, and the potentially negative eVects of some practices of the companies aimed at enhancing their competitiveness.

Risk Factors for Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Call Center Employees

“…However, the comparability of their findings appears limited because of differences in the criteria adopted for case identification, in the risk factors examined and in the analytical methods employed. From the results of several studies of CC and other VDU workers, risk factors for neck-shoulder symptoms appear to differ, at least in part, from those in the forearm and in the wrist/hand region 5,12,13) . Therefore, it would be of interest to examine the association between symptoms and suspected workplace risk factors separately for these two upper limb regions.…”

“Prevalence of Shoulder Pain in Petrol Pump Workers”

“…This repetitive activity increases the demand on the muscles, ligaments, soft tissues of musculoskeletal system. Several reviews, based primarily on cross sectional studies, indicate that the risk factors include working with arms above shoulder level and other awkward postures (for example, with trunk flexed forward), hand-arm vibrations, repetitive movements, pushing and pulling, and carrying loads supported by the shoulder [17][18][19][20] Improper posture and repetitive activity of shoulder while working can cause excessive stress on the shoulder and scapular muscles which can be one of the reasons for shoulder pain. The annual prevalence of shoulder trouble (ache, pain, discomfort) was 41% in a group of workers highly exposed to pushing and pulling tasks.…”

Occupation and its Association with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - A Review

“…A study by (iii) Wieslander et al in 1989 suggested that risk may double after 1 year in a job involving ‗repetitive wrist movement', while another by Tanaka et al found that risks were increased nearly 6-fold in workers bending/twisting the hand or wrist ‗many times per hour'. Two other studies, by Leclerc et al in 1998and Roquelaure et al in 1997, found associations with assembly work that involved a short elemental cycle time (10 s per repetition, RRs 1.9 and 8.8).…”

“…Bystrom et al (1995) & Michael Spallek et al (2010 revealed that in automobile assembly workers OR is 2.9, but with wide confidence limits. Leclerc et al (1998) did study on workers assembling small electrical appliances, motor vehicles and ski accessories (OR 4.5). Cannon and co-workers (1981) did a case-control study of 30 subjects in an aircraft engine assembly plant who were identified as having the carpal tunnel syndrome.…”