Prepared by Jill
Shelley and Michael Dennis
Kansas State University Research and Extension
Bending,
turning and repeated movement of your hands can lead to soreness
and stiffness. You brush it off as soreness that goes with
a day of hard work. Is that all that is wrong? You may have
what is known as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome is becoming more widely reported among many
occupations, from farmers to newspaper people. CTS is the
compression and entrapment of the median nerve where it passes
through the wrist into the hand. When irritated, tendons swell
and press against the nearby median nerve. The pressure causes
tingling, numbness or severe pain in the wrist, and hand,
primarily in the thumb, index and middle finger. The pain
is often experienced at night. The pressure also results in
a lack of strength in the hand and an inability to make a
fist, hold objects or perform other manual tasks. If the pressure
continues it can damage the nerve, causing loss of sensation
and even decreased strength.
The
meat packing industry experiences a high number of CTS cases
because workers make up to 10,000 repetitive motions per day
in assembly line processes, such as deboning meats, with no
variation in motion. More than half of all U.S. workers risk
developing CTS. Anyone whose job demands a lot of repetitive
wrist, hand, and arm motion, which need not always be forceful
or strenuous, might be a potential victim of CTS. Lauri Kizler,
registered occupational therapist with Saint Mary Hospital
in Manhattan, says there are a variety of ways to treat carpal
tunnel syndrome. "The treatment methods include rest, immobilization
of the wrist, gentle exercises, and minor surgery. Prevention
includes appropriate exercises, proper positioning of the
wrist and hand, avoiding repetitive movements, and avoiding
use of excessive force using the hands."
Use
of power tools such as electric screwdrivers reduces the risk
of developing CTS by reducing the number of repetitive motions.
Kizler says you should also try to use tools that fit the
hand, such as those with curved handles. "These types of tools
are now widely available and promote optimum positioning."
COMMON CAUSES OF
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME AMONG FARMERS
- Prolonged
use of vibrating power tools (e.g. right angle grinders).
- Frequent
use of tools that require gripping with the hands (pitchfork,
shovels, post tamper, etc.).
- Gripping
the steering wheel of machinery for long periods of time.
- Carrying
heavy buckets of materials.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This document
is extracted from
MF-1085
'Health Concerns in Agriculture': A tabloid published by Extension
Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan,
Kansas. Publication date: October 1993.
Prepared
by Jill Shelley and Michael Dennis, Educational Materials
Specialist, Cooperative Extension Service, Kansas State University,
Manhattan, Kansas.
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