1. Bingham, R.C., Rosecrance, J.C., Cook, T.M., “Prevalence of abnormal median nerve conduction in applicants for industrial jobs.” Am J Industrial Med, 1996; 30:355-361.
A must read! Shows that 17% of a large pool of prospective midwestern employees have NCS criteria compatible with CTS yet only a few admit symptoms. Ties in closely with epidemiologic studies showing ~1/5 –1/6 adults develop median neuropathy.
2. Dekel, Papaioannou, T., Rushworth, G., Coates, R. “Idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome caused by carpal stenosis.” British Medical Journal, 1983; 1297.
Rationally looks at CTS as a problem of narrow carpal tunnel canal not overworked employees.
3. Hadler, N.M. “Arm pain in the workplace.” JOM, 1992; 113-119.
Dr. Hadler relates awareness of “cumulative trauma disorders” to be related to OSHA and the NIOSH contends that task relatedness to regional upper extremity discomfort is unproved. Image is illusive and empirical remedies remain empirical. He contends that the term cumulative trauma disorder has no home in the clinical lexicon. Data presented regarding the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome is grossly erroneous based upon hesitation of other incorrect information in the medical literature. He goes on to quote the literature as overwhelmingly affirming that when regional arm pain is felt to be intolerable. The psychosocial variables in the work environment are far more likely to be responsible than the physical demands of the tasks.
4. Hadler, N.M. “Repetitive upper-extremity motions in the workplace are not hazardous.” JHS, 1997; 22A: 1.
The vanguard refuting work related cumulative trauma. A thorough, well thought out review by an expert in the use of statistics.
5. Hadler, N.M. “Work-related disorders of the upper extremity Part I: Cumulative Trauma Disorders-A critical review.” Occup Prob Med Pract Med Public Inc., 1989; 4:2.
Refutes work relationship and concept of cumulative trauma.
6. Hadler, N.M. “Work-related disorders of the upper extremity Part II: Can shoulder periarthritis, thoracic outlet syndrome, or carpal tunnel syndrome be ascribed to repetitive usage?” Occup Prob Med Pract Med Public Inc, 1989.
7. 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.
This extremely poorly compiled cluster assumed cases of carpal tunnel syndrome were derived from 83% response to a mail-in questionnaire sent out on checker union stationary to females from 18 to 49 years. None of these individuals were examined and none of them under went nerve conduction study, etc. Without the ability to carefully examine and scrutinize these possibly disgruntal people, one is in no position to make comments regarding the presence or absence of diseases, the correctness of diagnosis, the state of the disease, the relationship between their occupational activities and symptoms for absolute presence of an ailment. Additional suggestions from this study are untenable based on more carefully performed, objectively verified studies.
8. Nathan, P.A., Keniston, R.C., Meadows, K.D., “Keyboarding as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome: Comparing clerical workers to managers in eight industries.” Unpublished-available by writing to them.
In their unpublished study in Oregon, they compared the prevalence of slowing, probable CTS, and definite CTS in 319 managers and 213 clerical workers utilizing electrodiagnostic studies in all those evaluated. They found no significant difference in prevalence of slowing, probable CTS, or definite CTS between the managers and the clerical workers in 8 combined industries. There was also no trend for increase in the prevalence of slowing, probable, or definite CTS with increase of number of hours of keyboard use per day. In fact, those keyboarding less than 1 hour per day actually had the highest prevalence of all 3 factors. In this series there was also no gender difference in the prevalence of slowing despite more keyboarding by the female workers. They concluded that there was no difference between managers and clerical workers in the risk for nerve conduction abnormalities for symptoms that confirm carpal tunnel syndrome. They also found no trend for risk increase with more time spent keyboarding. A Must Read.
9. Nathan, P.A., Takigawa, K., Keniston, R.C., Meadows, K.D., Lockwood, R.S. “Slowing of sensory conduction of the median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome in Japanese and American industrial workers.” JHS, 1994; 19B: 30-34.
He compared nerve conduction studies in 101 Japanese factory workers with 316 American workers from four industries. He noted the prevalence of probable CTS and definite CTS were much lower in the Japanese. He concluded that the primary effect of work was protective, not harmful both for slowing and for symptoms. Body mass index, they claimed, was still the most important factor for predicting nerve conduction abnormalities.
10. Papaioannou, T., Rushworth, G., Atar, D., Dekel, S. “Carpal canal stenosis in men with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. JBJS, 1971; 53A: 160
11. Phalen, G.S. “Spontaneous compression of the median nerve at the wrist.” JAMA, 1951; 145, 215: 1128-1134.
The classic. A must read from the doctor who popularized the disease. Emphasis on spontaneous.