Want to experience carpal tunnel syndrome? Go to work for a poultry processing plant. A study by the National Instititue for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH) found “an alarming prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome” among the workers.
Chickens and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
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NIOSH researchers visited a South Carolina plant three times in 2012 and 2013 and found that 42% of the employees who participated in their evaluation had carpal tunnel syndrome. And 41% worked in jobs involving force above the limits recommended for minimising the risk of carpel tunnel syndrome .
Workers in poultry processing plants operate evisceration lines operating at from 90 to 175 birds per minute. NIOSH found that 57% of the participants reported at least one musculoskeletal symptom (not including hand or wrist symptoms) at both baseline and follow-up evaluations. The most common work-related injuries were cuts, punctures and scrapes; repetitive motion; slips, trips and falls; and being caught in or under equipment.
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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