Of all of the injuries you can get on a job, carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most costly. Over your lifetime, you can expect to lose about $30,000 in medical bills and time absent from work, the American Chiropractic Association reports.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the 9-to-5 office folks who spend up to seven hours a day at their computers who get carpal tunnel syndrome—or CTS—most often. Recent research shows it more frequently afflicts assembly-line workers in manufacturing, sewing, cleaning, meatpacking and similar industries.
So what causes this irksome pain, numbness and tingling in your wrist, and how can you prevent it from happening?
CTS occurs when your median nerve—the nerve in the wrist that supplies feeling and movements to parts of the hand—gets compressed in the carpal tunnel. That’s a narrow tunnel in the wrist made up of bones and soft tissues such as nerves, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Often the swelling that irritates the median nerve occurs as the result of repetitive motion of the hand and wrist.
Preventing CTS can be as simple as taking frequent rest breaks and performing on-the-job conditioning, such as stretching and light exercises. The American Chiropractic Association also recommends:
- Wearing splints to help keep the wrists straight
- Using fingerless gloves to help keep the hands warm and flexible
- Using correct posture and wrist position
Employers may also want to consider developing programs in ergonomics — the process of adapting workplace conditions and job demands to workers’ physical capabilities.