thought that if an injection does provide relief, CTS
gripping, grasping or lifting with the thumb and index
probably exists. [n addition, there are medications that
finger can put stress on the entire wrist. The whole hand
can be used to reduce swelling and inflamation and
and all fingers should be used to grasp objects.
therefore ease pressure on the median nerve. Nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drugs can be taken orally and are sometimes effective. Further, splints are available to keep the wrist at a less extreme or neutral position. These splints can keep the wrists f downward or extending upward symptoms. There are night keep the wrist in a neutr
m Illexin
icK worsens CTS
'nts that can be worn to
position while t eJpdivIQual
sleeps and there a e also occupati designed for spec .c types of work.
lints tha
.l
re
ARKANSAS LAW
T
here are few Arkansas cases that have dealt with
.r---_
CTS as a work-related injury. Only in recent times
have Arkansas courts and administrative law judges recognized CTS can be a job-related injury or disease. In Plan Is v. Townsen
urlner Lbr. Co., 247 Ark. 824,
li8 S.W.2d 349 (1970), carpa tunnel syndrome was diagnosed in an employee h
ing the position of
[n the event that the more co , ........_, not work, the severe pain the individ al develo i"'nl>g)-,-=-'
ers' compensation
surgical procedure allgg a pal tUIDlel release will be under ,aken. This is an operation that takes approximately 45
inutes to one hour and is usually
Similarly, in Linds
v. Ark. Cemelll Co., 25
510 S.W.2d 552 (197 ,a typis
done as day surgery. '" tou niquet is placed on the
brought a workers' corn
individual's arm ana t e trans erse ligament is divided
CTS. The orthopedic surgeon said
nnel and relieve the pressure on
rk. 780,
e I at work and she
nsation claim for bursitis and . He tl\ere was
no specific cause for bursitis, h with CTS who were typists an
A c pal runnel release proyides relief of pain that is immediate an permanent in ost cases 22 Progressive
extension of the wrist in the typing p
improvement and often complete recovery can take place over a period of months to two years. 23 The
the precipitating cause "of er medical complaints, including her wrist." How
hand is to
because of a inding that t
surgery24
e actively used
ossible after
al use of t
ithin
it." The surgeon added that "til
ess can cause tic ep'
claim
de was
as denied
not relate(j to her fal rAII~ ....;::'"
one week of surgery in th maj.ri
P
EVENT!
reventing carpal tunne syndrome can bl as easy': as
keeping the wrist in "neutral" which means
avoiding using the wrist in a bent or flex
extended or
a lob that.-re'luired repetitive twisting motions with he/;<
nds. She was diagnosed as having
teno ynovi.tis, with CTS suspected. The Court of
twisted position for long periods of time. The neutra
J\ppeals found that the tenosynovitis with suspected
straight position is the proper wrist position. In
CTS was an occupational disease based on the work
addition, possible repetitive movements for extended
duties of the worker. The Court of Appeals added that
periods should be avoided; hands should be rested
the test of compensability is whether the nature of
periodically; work activities should be rotated on
employment exposes the worker to a greater risk of that
occasion; hand and arm
disease than the risk experienced by the general public
muscles should
be
strengthened; the speed with which forceful repetitive movement is done should be reduced; and any
or workers in other employments. Since that time, there have been at least nine cases