Women are three times more likely than men to suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men. The dominant hand is usually affected first and suffer the pain more intense. People with diabetes or other metabolic disorders that directly affect the body’s nerves and make them more susceptible or prone to compression are also at high risk. Generally, carpal tunnel syndrome occurs only in adults.
The risk of carpal tunnel syndrome is not limited to people working in one industry or trade, but is particularly common in people who perform work in assembly plants, manufacturing, sewing, industrial finishing, cleaning and meat packing , poultry or fish. In fact, carpal tunnel syndrome is three times more common in people assemblers who perform computer data entry. A study by the Mayo Clinic in 2001 revealed that continuous use of a computer (up to 7 hours a day) does not increase the risk that a person will develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
In 1998 it was estimated that three out of 10 thousand workers had to be absent from work due to carpal tunnel syndrome. Half of these workers lost more than 10 working days. The average cost of carpal tunnel syndrome, including medical bills and lost time from work, is estimated at around $ 30,000 per worker.
