The manual milking as a triggering factor for carpal tunnel syndrome

Abstract

The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common compression neuropathy in human beings. Through this space is the set of median nerve with nine flexor tendons. The carpal tunnel syndrome is related to occupational factors and non-occupational factors. The goal of this research was check if the manual milking may represent an important occupational factor of risk due to use of the hand and wrist so repetitive that is required to perform the function. The sample analyzed was 92 cases of diagnostic evidence of CTS in 2008 in a city of the interior of Paraná’s state, including 80 women, with average of age of 47,7 ± 11,3 years and 12 men with average of age of 43,9 ± 12,6 years. The sample was selected by medical prescriptions of physiotherapy for patients with diagnosis of CTS.  The predominant occupation was cattle milker with 53,26% with a higher occurrence among women. Among those with CTS, 41 people performed manual milking at some point in life, 36 women (45%) and 5 men (41.7%). Currently, manual milking presents a low prevalence (6 cases), and only women reported maintaining this activity. In this study, the relationship between manual milking and occurrence of CTS appears consistent, so the manual milking might be a strong risk factor to cause problems related to CTS.