Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and upper extremity tendinitis among dental hygienists.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and upper extremity (UE) tendinitis among dental hygienists.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study dental hygienists (n = 305) were screened using sensory nerve conduction, a focused physical examination of the UE, and a symptom questionnaire. CTS was diagnosed if the subject had slowing of the median nerve at the wrist and symptoms of numbness, tingling of pain in the median distribution. Localized tendinitis of the UE was diagnosed if the subject had focal symptoms and associated findings on physical examination.


RESULTS
Three percent of the participating dental hygienists were diagnosed with CTS. Thirteen were diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis, while 6% had a tendinitis of the elbow and 7% had tendinitis of the hand or wrist. Twenty-eight percent had a diagnosis of some UE tendinitis or CTS.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hand and finger symptoms in the dominant hand among dental hygienists in this study was high, but the prevalence for CTS was nearly the same as the general population. There was a high rate of UE tendinitis noted within this population.
Werner
Robert A
RA
Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, University of Michigan, USA.
Hamann
Curt
C
Franzblau
Alfred
A
Rodgers
Pamela A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000503:physiopathology