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Karpaltunnelsyndrom, Epicondylitis:
Prävention am Arbeitsplatz
Thomas Läubli, Institut für Hygiene und
Arbeitsphysiologie, Eidgenössische Technische
Hochschule Zürich
Epidemiological studies describing the relationship
between epicondylitis and work showed evidence for a strong
association between forceful work (and a combination of
repetition and forceful work) and development of elbow pain
(and epicondylitis). Repetitive arm movements were often
found to be correlated with a risk for epicondylitis, but
these risks being rather small. Results for work at visual
display units are not conclusive.
From EMG studies it can be concluded that many hand
movements, including forearm rotations, against resistance
increase stress on the lateral epicondyle. Any forceful
hand-movements lead to high forces at the forearm tendon
insertions, so that from a biomechanical point of view a
causal relationship between high work forces and an
increased risk of epicondylitis is well founded.
From these results it becomes clear that long work
periods involving high forces of the hand, either with
repetitive movements or not, must be avoided and required
forces must be reduced. The forces required depend on work
organization, on the weight of handled objects, but also on
the design of handles or the gripping surface, which need to
be optimized. There seems to be mounting evidence that
sufficient rest time might be crucial for the prevention of
any work-related musculoskeletal pain. A good social support
has proven to be a protective factor in work-related
musculoskeletal disorders.
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