Long-term loss of wages seen after wrist disorder

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Carpal tunnel syndrome can keep people out of work for months, and even lower their earnings for years to come, according to a study by the Washington State labor department.

In an analysis of nearly 8,800 workers' compensation claims made in the state between 1993 and 1994, researchers found that workers with the wrist disorder lost more days of work and experienced a steeper drop in their long-term wages than those who'd filed due to an arm fracture.

Six years after filing for their injuries, workers with carpal tunnel syndrome were making less than half their pre-injury wages, on average.

Michael Foley and colleagues at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries in Olympia report the findings in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder affecting the wrist and hand caused by pressure on the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand through a narrow passageway in the wrist -- the carpal tunnel. Symptoms include pain, numbness and weakness in the hand, fingers and wrist, and left untreated, the condition can cause long-term damage to nerves and muscles.

Research has shown that some people seem to have a genetic predisposition to carpal tunnel syndrome, and that certain conditions -- such as diabetes, arthritis, obesity and even pregnancy -- can contribute to the wrist disorder.

While popular wisdom holds that repetitive motions like typing cause carpal tunnel syndrome, studies have refuted this -- although certain jobs, such as working with vibrating tools, may at least worsen symptoms.

Whatever the cause, the new findings suggest that the pain of this condition can keep people off the job for a long period and then sharply lower their earnings for years afterward.