Carpal tunnel is usually a repetitive workplace injury

Office workers in Charlotte may be interested to know that a new survey suggests that carpal tunnel syndrome is usually classified as a workplace injury. The injury is related to work in that it is often caused by the repetitive strain caused to the hand and wrist by typing on a keyboard.

The data was released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late last month.

Carpal tunnel syndrome results in tingling, weakness, numbness or even muscle damage to the hand and fingers. It is caused by pressure on a nerve in the wrist.

Just less than 70 percent of adults with carpal tunnel syndrome were told by a health care professional that it was related to work, according to the annual National Health Interview Survey. Interestingly, men were less likely than women to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of their work.

The CDC’s own data suggests that just more than 3 percent of working adults between the ages of 18 and 64 have been diagnosed with the syndrome in the past year.

Unfortunately, it is common for workers’ compensation insurance companies to deny coverage for repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Of course, this is because insurance companies do not often pay out benefits without a fight.

Hopefully, the data presented in this study will help workers’ compensation carriers to be more aware of the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome. Those who have had their workers’ compensation claims denied – even though they have experienced a legitimate workplace injury – should contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can help secure appropriate compensation for medical expenses and loss of wages.

Source: Medical Daily, “CDC Survey: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Mostly Linked to Work,” Adam Daley, Dec. 23, 2011