Annie
02-19-2007, 11:19 PM
I've had surgery on one hand/wrist and need it on the other :yuck:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very serious affliction suffered by
approximately 3% of the U.S. population, or 9-million workers
annually. While symptoms usually begin as a general ache or
pain in the wrist and hand, carpal tunnel syndrome is a very
serious disorder that can lead to severe dysfunction and
possible nerve damage.
Those most at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome are those who
have jobs that involve constant repetitive and/or static
motion, particularly of the wrists, arms, and hands. While this
might instantly bring office workers to mind, this problem
stretches well past the basic cubicles of a call center or of a
data entry center. Carpal tunnel syndrome actually afflicts more
assembly line workers and grocers than computer workers. Grocery
checkers are actually considered so highly at risk for carpal
tunnel syndrome that even the federal government has singled
them out as a group that needs support to combat this
affliction.
Men are found to only be 1/3 as likely as women to have carpal
tunnel syndrome. The most recognized reason for this is due to
the fact that women incur muscle imbalances at a faster rate
due to the musculature and their wrists are generally thinner,
thus the carpal tunnel is smaller and so it is easier to damage
the median nerve that runs through it. Work that requires
repetitive flexing of the fingers or wrists will increase the
chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Static flexion
involving gripping motions such as holding power tools,
gripping a steering wheel or holding a pen will also cause the
development of carpal tunnel syndrome. Bagging groceries and
scanning all the various items, not to mention use of the
register, is a major reason why grocery checkers are among the
most highly afflicted group of workers.
Grocery checkers are so prone to carpal tunnel syndrome and
similar injuries that OSHA has specifically singled them out as
a prime example of workers who need special considerations in
their work environment. The loss from workers compensation and
lost time is enough that many employers have worked hard to
introduce injury prevention programs. Many of these employers
have reported happily that their efforts have had a positive
effect on work-related injuries and workers' compensation
costs. While the following advice was designed specifically for
grocery checkers and grocery stores, it is equally valid for
fast food, gas station or convenience store clerks, or any
workers in a high volume retail environment.
A report by NIOSH revealed that more than 50% of all food
cashiers, (jobs predominantly held by women), suffered some
degree of carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of repetitive
strain injuries as a result of the physical demands of scanning
products at high speed.
Think ergonomics. What's that? Well ergonomics is basically a
process by which the tools and environment around a worker or
specifically designed to help take pressure off the parts of
the worker's body that are going to experience the most stress
and strain. This can apply to back, shoulders, neck, but it
also very commonly is used in reference to wrists and wrist
injuries, especially carpal tunnel syndrome. OSHA highly
recommends that all employers in retail look for ergonomic
solutions, and in general the employers that have gone that
route have reported seeing a positive difference. One of the
main reasons why the government and employers have taken so
much interest, and why it so much focus has been put on carpal
tunnel syndrome in grocery checkers, is because how vital a
grocery store is to every single community, and because of the
huge amount of employment that these stores create.
Grocery store work can be physically demanding. It is not at
all uncommon for many grocery store workers, even in small
towns, to handle thousands of items every day to stock shelves,
check groceries, operate the register or prepare inventory. Out
of all these actions, the four things to look out for when
trying to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome are force, repetition,
awkward positions, and static postures, all which contribute to
the development of muscle imbalances, the main causative factor
of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Trying to find a way to do the work that cuts down on these red
flags, and the occurrence of work related injuries would
decrease. It is in the employer's best interest to pay
attention when an employee gets an injury. There might be some
people who don't think carpal tunnel syndrome is a big
deal--but they would be mistaken. If an employee has carpal
tunnel syndrome, then how is he or she going to do a job that
requires constant hand movement, wrist movement, or anything
else along those lines?
Because of the way scanners are situated, and because of the
job itself, there is always going to be the repetitive motions,
the turning of the wrist to scan a bar code, all the little
things that can cause severe carpal tunnel syndrome in workers
who are keeping up a grocery store. Knowing that this is a
problem, however, is the first step to dealing with it. Through
ergonomics, special stretches and muscle balancing exercises,
and implementing job rotation to prevent one person from doing
too much of one job, carpal tunnel syndrome can be prevented,
which is always better than waiting until an actual treatment
is necessary.
About The Author: Jeff P. Anliker, LMT, is a therapist and
inventor of products that prevent and treat carpal tunnel
syndrome and repetitive strain injuries.
http://www.repetitive-strain.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very serious affliction suffered by
approximately 3% of the U.S. population, or 9-million workers
annually. While symptoms usually begin as a general ache or
pain in the wrist and hand, carpal tunnel syndrome is a very
serious disorder that can lead to severe dysfunction and
possible nerve damage.
Those most at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome are those who
have jobs that involve constant repetitive and/or static
motion, particularly of the wrists, arms, and hands. While this
might instantly bring office workers to mind, this problem
stretches well past the basic cubicles of a call center or of a
data entry center. Carpal tunnel syndrome actually afflicts more
assembly line workers and grocers than computer workers. Grocery
checkers are actually considered so highly at risk for carpal
tunnel syndrome that even the federal government has singled
them out as a group that needs support to combat this
affliction.
Men are found to only be 1/3 as likely as women to have carpal
tunnel syndrome. The most recognized reason for this is due to
the fact that women incur muscle imbalances at a faster rate
due to the musculature and their wrists are generally thinner,
thus the carpal tunnel is smaller and so it is easier to damage
the median nerve that runs through it. Work that requires
repetitive flexing of the fingers or wrists will increase the
chances of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Static flexion
involving gripping motions such as holding power tools,
gripping a steering wheel or holding a pen will also cause the
development of carpal tunnel syndrome. Bagging groceries and
scanning all the various items, not to mention use of the
register, is a major reason why grocery checkers are among the
most highly afflicted group of workers.
Grocery checkers are so prone to carpal tunnel syndrome and
similar injuries that OSHA has specifically singled them out as
a prime example of workers who need special considerations in
their work environment. The loss from workers compensation and
lost time is enough that many employers have worked hard to
introduce injury prevention programs. Many of these employers
have reported happily that their efforts have had a positive
effect on work-related injuries and workers' compensation
costs. While the following advice was designed specifically for
grocery checkers and grocery stores, it is equally valid for
fast food, gas station or convenience store clerks, or any
workers in a high volume retail environment.
A report by NIOSH revealed that more than 50% of all food
cashiers, (jobs predominantly held by women), suffered some
degree of carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of repetitive
strain injuries as a result of the physical demands of scanning
products at high speed.
Think ergonomics. What's that? Well ergonomics is basically a
process by which the tools and environment around a worker or
specifically designed to help take pressure off the parts of
the worker's body that are going to experience the most stress
and strain. This can apply to back, shoulders, neck, but it
also very commonly is used in reference to wrists and wrist
injuries, especially carpal tunnel syndrome. OSHA highly
recommends that all employers in retail look for ergonomic
solutions, and in general the employers that have gone that
route have reported seeing a positive difference. One of the
main reasons why the government and employers have taken so
much interest, and why it so much focus has been put on carpal
tunnel syndrome in grocery checkers, is because how vital a
grocery store is to every single community, and because of the
huge amount of employment that these stores create.
Grocery store work can be physically demanding. It is not at
all uncommon for many grocery store workers, even in small
towns, to handle thousands of items every day to stock shelves,
check groceries, operate the register or prepare inventory. Out
of all these actions, the four things to look out for when
trying to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome are force, repetition,
awkward positions, and static postures, all which contribute to
the development of muscle imbalances, the main causative factor
of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Trying to find a way to do the work that cuts down on these red
flags, and the occurrence of work related injuries would
decrease. It is in the employer's best interest to pay
attention when an employee gets an injury. There might be some
people who don't think carpal tunnel syndrome is a big
deal--but they would be mistaken. If an employee has carpal
tunnel syndrome, then how is he or she going to do a job that
requires constant hand movement, wrist movement, or anything
else along those lines?
Because of the way scanners are situated, and because of the
job itself, there is always going to be the repetitive motions,
the turning of the wrist to scan a bar code, all the little
things that can cause severe carpal tunnel syndrome in workers
who are keeping up a grocery store. Knowing that this is a
problem, however, is the first step to dealing with it. Through
ergonomics, special stretches and muscle balancing exercises,
and implementing job rotation to prevent one person from doing
too much of one job, carpal tunnel syndrome can be prevented,
which is always better than waiting until an actual treatment
is necessary.
About The Author: Jeff P. Anliker, LMT, is a therapist and
inventor of products that prevent and treat carpal tunnel
syndrome and repetitive strain injuries.
http://www.repetitive-strain.com