Cumulative trauma disorders and the use of laser scanners

Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) have become a growing concern in industry recently. Most assessments of the actions required by these workers have focused on crude indicators of factors that would increase the force upon tendons surrounding the wrist. However, hand intensive work, by its very nature, usually requires significant motions of the wrist that may influence tendon force. An industrial study was performed to test this hypothesis. It was found that wrist accelerations in the flexion-extension place were most closely associated with the risk of developing a carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). These results will be reviewed and discussed relative to the wrist motions required by those in the work force that utilize laser systems such as would be found in laser based bar code scanner systems.