1. Feldman, R.G., Travers, Hyland, P., Chirico- Post, J., Keyserling, W.M. “Risk assessment in electronic assembly workers: Carpal tunnel syndrome.” JHS, 1987; 12: 849-855.
This without a doubt one of the most poorly performed, flawed studies that has ever been reported on attempting to tie workers and their tasks into development of CTS. This article has really not value for the educated reader, other than to demonstrate the severity of flaws that occur in typical study suggesting an occupational causation of CTS and/or the potential benefits of ergonomic modifications. One must be ever vigilant to not accept information from this type of poor quality source. Not only did the authors have a very low inclusion rate in evaluating workers at a given plant, i.e. just over 500 in a plant with over 700 workers, they then tested only a very small segment of them using an incomplete form of a test for entrapment neuropathy. Subsequent follow exam a year thereafter, they had further sampling error, testing 25% less of the already meager tested worker population. The workers were not matched for age, sex, handedness, or hours at work or duration of employment. The authors then attempted to ascribe problems with their job and the development/progression of signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome to their tasks. In the discussion section of their article, the authors then went on not only to make conclusions that were not validated by their study format, but they went on to make many grossly erroneous treatment suggestions for Raynaud’s syndrome and CTS, etc.
2. Margolis, W., Kraus, J.F., “The prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in female supermarket checkers.” J of Occupat Med, 1987; 29: 12: 953-956.
3. Seradge, H. "Carpal Tunnel Exercise." HI 1996; set of routine exercises to “relieve” the pressure upon the nerve, which is allegedly compressed as a result of overuse (of course no data to support this contention!)
No proven benefit. Transient relief at best.