Chaining, tarping, and being constantly exposed to the vibration of a truck puts truckers at risk for a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome, or cts. Steering the truck and other repetitive motions can also cause repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome over time. Cts is the most wellknown and frequent form of median nerve entrapment, and accounts for 90% of all entrapment neuropathies. Obviously, you couldnt work as a commercial or owner operator truck driver in this condition. John had to slow down, identify his daily job duties, and identify things he had done throughout the years. Carpal tunnel and wrist pain prevention for truck drivers. About carpal tunnel syndrome medical point of view. These exercises will help prevent wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. My husband is a truck driver, and we think he has carpal tunnel syndrome from his fingers being wrapped around the steering wheel so much. Repeated, prolonged gripping of anythingwhether its a steering wheel or a toolcan contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome, says jennifer valle. This study was conducted among assembling workers of a detergent factory and computer users with. Impacto carpal tunnel gloves has unique channel over the carpal tunnel keeps pressure off the median nerve to alleviate symptoms of repetitive injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive use and vibrating tools. Do check with your surgeon about their expectations for your recovery after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery as each case varies.
When the wrist, fingers, or hand is constantly used for repetitive motions such as twisting, abnormal bending, or persistent striking, the ligament can become inflamed and press against the median nerve. Many professional drivers suffer from hand numbness and pain. Questions about carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis st. The plaintiff suffered bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Truck drivers hands are subjected to prolonged exposure to steering wheel. While it is unlikely to cause carpal tunnel syndrome solely from driving a car, most of us do not spend hours on end gripping a steering wheel and speeding around a track at nearly 200 miles per hour. It is important to get a doctors opinion to confirm that work activities most likely caused the carpal tunnel syndrome or caused it to progress to a point of pain, incapacity and a. I have found that driving exacerbates my rsi or carpal tunnel syndrome. The pressure may come from swelling or anything that makes the carpal tunnel smaller. Bus drivers are prone to carpal tunnel syndrome steven m. The recovery time after surgery will depend on a number of factors including whether the patient has endoscopic or open surgery, whether the surgery was performed on the dominant hand, and the type of work done by the patient. It occurs when the nerves that run into the hand are impinged or squeezed when they travel through the wrist. When john had to make the decision to change careers, he struggled because his focus was on his title, truck driver.
A majority of the appellate courtthird district reversed the commissions decision denying benefits to claimant for carpal tunnel syndrome allegedly caused by the work as a truck driver, where claimant used his right hand continuously to shift help steer the truck. I have tried to minimize my driving by getting others to drive, walking, or taking public transportation. Carpal tunnel syndrome cts and the workplace fit for work. It is a common california workers compensation injury.
Truck drivers and repetitive stress injuries workers. A worker who suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome may require medical treatment, possibly including surgery. Carpal tunnel syndrome cts is a condition that occurs when the median nerve, which controls feeling and movement in your hand, is put under pressure in your wrist. She was forced to have left carpal tunnel release surgery and had to miss time at work. You may be suffering from one of the most common health problems affecting truck drivers. It causes numbness, weakness, and tingling in the fingers and palm.
In addition, driving for long periods of time with your wrist resting on the steering wheel or shifter can increase your risk of developing cts. When this nerve is squeezed it can cause tingling, numbness, pain or aching in the hand. If this nerve becomes inflamed, it creates pressure between the muscles and ligaments and causes pain in the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome has been viewed as primarily an office worker injury, but there has been an increase in drivers filing carpal tunnel syndrome claims. Not only does carpal tunnel syndrome require extensive rehabilitation, it can lead to significant loss of income for those unable to complete fine motor tasks at work. Carpal tunnel causes numbness and tingling in the arm and hand due to pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. Those that undergo a carpal tunnel release are nearly twice as likely as those not having surgery to develop trigger thumb in the months following the procedure. Driving and carpal tunnel syndrome ergonomic driving, rsi.
John was a truck driver for over fifteen years and was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and back problems. Over the road truck driver finds solution to piriformis. All of these professions have a high incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome cts is a progressively painful hand and arm condition caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist. The carpal tunnel syndrome began when she returned to work after being seen by doctors for triggering of the right ring finger. The cause of chronic carpal tunnel syndrome can be varied and complex and difficult to diagnose. Unfortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome can occur as a result. Its a common condition, but its not the only one that causes. Dot medical examiner certification training case studies i enterprise development group. Truck driver injuries workers compensation legal blogs. One easy clue that youre suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, is tingling and numbness in particular fingers of the hand. The carpal tunnel is a passage between the arm and hand through which the median nerve is allowed to pass freely in a normal healthy wrist. Symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and arms.
Carpal tunnel syndrome the nashville law office of. For commercial or owner operator truck drivers, activities such as chaining and tarping along with the constant vibration of the steering wheel and shifter can cause cts. He or she may be unable to work for some length of time. Carpal tunnel syndrome is viewed as primarily an office worker injury, but there has been an increase in drivers filing carpal tunnel syndrome claims as they spend more time typing on keyboards in cramped work truck cab interiors. However there are many more safety meeting handouts within midwestern insurance alliances risk management center which is only accessible to workers compensation policyholders of midwestern insurance alliance. Carpal tunnel syndrome and its relationship to occupation. Carpal tunnel syndrome illinois workers compensation. During carpal tunnel surgery, the transverse carpal ligament is cut in order to release the pressure from the median nerve and to relieve pain. On sale impacto carpal tunnel gloves safety gloves. Was carpal tunnel caused by driving truck, extreme obesity or both. Without adequate desk space for wrist supports, cushions, and other ergonomicfriendly accessories, drivers are at.
Specifically, these injuries are common in car accidents that result in some type of injury. Workers compensation settlement amounts rubens, kress. Long commutes, cell phones while driving can cause carpal. Bus drivers use their hands and wrists repeatedly on a daily basis as part of their job duties. Constant turning and gripping of the steering wheel and resting one hand on the vibrating gear shift can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome in truck and delivery drivers. Carpal tunnel syndrome cts remains a puzzling and disabling condition present in 3. Professions with a high incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Improving truck ergonomics for driver safety safety.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can gradually develop following repeated pressure to the point where the. Listen as traci shares her awesome story with you about her struggle with chronic buttock and leg pain due to piriformis syndrome, and just how quick and easy it was for her to successfully address it. Repeated, prolonged gripping of anythingwhether its a steering wheel or a tool can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome, says jennifer valle. These injuries also often occur in certain types of car accidents. Was carpal tunnel caused by driving truck, extreme obesity. Try not standing and holding on while on the bus or subway as this will cause the same problems. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the inflammation of the nerve that sits between the tendons of the forearm muscles that flex the hand and the transverse superficial carpal ligament. The question comes down to what caused his carpal tunnel. The arbitrator awarded permanency equivalent to 12. The shr for carpal tunnel syndrome was high among longhaul drivers shr. Shoulder surgery with carpal tunnel syndrome for a truck. Carpal tunnel in commercial, owner operator truck drivers.
Carpal tunnel syndrome cts is an injury to the median nerve in the wrist caused by engaging in repetitive activities. Proving carpal tunnel syndrome from a car accident max. A qwi survey of 740 truck drivers found 59 percent of drivers had hand pain and 71 percent had hand numbness while driving. Longterm chronic carpal tunnel syndrome typically seen in the elderly can result in permanent nerve damage, i.
The safety meeting handouts on this page can be downloaded and used by anyone. Ever feel tingling or numbness when youre gripping the steering wheel. Pursuing workers compensation for carpal tunnel injuries. For many people with tingling, pain, or numbness in their fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome is the first thing to come to mind. As an overtheroad truck driver, piriformis syndrome can make ones job not only miserable, but dangerous as well. It is pretty logical as driving involves use of the hands. Vibration comes into play if you grip the steering wheel and shifter tightly andor you rest your wrists on either of them. Appellate court held that commissions decision denying benefits to truck driver for carpal tunnel syndrome was against the manifest weight of the. Numbness and tingling come and go at first, but may become constant. Carpal tunnel injuries in california workers compensation. Locomotor diseases among male longhaul truck drivers and other. Putting the brakes on bus drivingyou always enjoyed driving, so when the opportunity to drive a bus for the metropolitan transit authority of harris county came up, you took it. Department of labors bureau of labor statistics indicates that truck drivers have a higher number of carpal tunnel syndromerelated events resulting in.
The truth about carpal tunnel syndrome truck news have you ever been driving down the road and felt numbness or tingling in your hand and wrist or have you ever been chaining down a load and felt a sharp shooting pain that starts in the wrist and goe. A former truck driver was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Nascar driver jeff burton, who has driven in over 650 races in his 25 year career, recently underwent surgery to resolve his carpal tunnel syndrome. There are thousands of truck drivers suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries. While in the field, drivers must input data using a small keyboard, or touch screen, while sitting in cramped truck cabs that are even more constrained than a typical office environment. When is surgery the answer for carpal tunnel syndrome.
However,there is a controversy about the sole role of occupational ergonomic hazards in cts. Carpal tunnel and wrist pain prevention for truck drivers youtube. Carpal tunnel syndrome is triggered by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. When the state of illinois denied workers compensation benefits to an employee for carpal tunnel syndrome, haxel law took case to trial and won forcing the state to pay its employee the benefits she deserved. These symptoms tend to develop gradually and are often initially worse at night. A common misconception is that carpal tunnel syndrome only occurs as a result of repetitive stress on the wrist. Shoulder surgery with carpal tunnel syndrome for a truck driver please register so you can participate, or simply browse the forum.
Dot medical examiner certification training case studies i. Numbness and tingling in the hand, thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome cts is a condition where the median nerve is squeezed as it passes through the wrist. People who have a lot of vibration on their hands, such as someone who works as a pile driver or a truck driver. Trucks are corporate assets, but so too are drivers. A greater understanding of carpal tunnel syndrome and its origins can lead to quicker diagnosis and more substantial personal injury damages.
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