John D. Lloyd, PhD, CPE
Board Certified Ergonomist
32824 Michigan Avenue
San Antonio, Florida 33576
Tel: 813-624-8986
Email: DrJohnLloyd@Tampabay.RR.com
Traumatogens associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) are those physiological illnesses which may develop over a period of weeks, months, or even years due to prolonged mechanical stresses imposed upon the musculoskeletal system, resulting in injuries recognized as physical ailments or abnormal conditions. These disorders may also be referred to as "repetitive strain injuries (RSI)", "over use injuries", or "repetitive motion injuries".
CTDs are considered to be work-related since they are more prevalent among the working population than the general public. Due to slow onset, the microtrauma is often ignored by both management and employees until the symptoms become chronic and permanent injury occurs.
The "worker's disease" was first documented in 1717 by Ramazinni:
"Various and manifold is the harvest of diseases reaped by certain workers from the crafts and trades they pursue. All the profit that they get is fatal injury to their health ... [that] ... I ascribe to certain violent and irregular motions and unnatural postures of the body, by reasons of which, the natural structure of the vital machine is so impaired that serious diseases gradually develop therefrom."
The development of such occupational illnesses in high risk industries has been recognized and monitored for some time. Although slight, when compared with manual handling injuries, the RSI problem has been increasingly consistently since the early 1980’s to the point where CTDs now represent a significant proportion of all worker’s compensation claims. Several theories to substantiate this upward trend have been suggested, not least of which is a rise in symptomatic reporting due to increased public awareness.
Thus, basic principles of control to reduce risk factors by improved job design, more humane work methods, better training, and more stringent job placements are being introduced in an attempt to alleviate the problem. Where employees indicate the presence of related physical ailments, methods are being developed to more accurately diagnose the type of disorder and so speed proper treatment and recovery.
Please contact Dr. Lloyd for additional information