People often associate carpal tunnel syndrome with office workers. They think of a receptionist constantly typing and clicking or a personal assistant who spends all of the day on the phone. It is certainly true that office workers can and do develop carpal tunnel syndrome because of their job responsibilities.
However, people in numerous other professions could also end up with carpal tunnel syndrome or similar repetitive stress disorders because of their job responsibilities. Who is at risk?
Factory workers
Needing to lift and grip manufacturing components or tools all day can put a lot of strain on your hands, wrists and forearms. Years or decades of manual work on the production line could very easily lead to carpal tunnel syndrome or similar injuries that limit your job functions and therefore your income.
Professional drivers
Maybe you drive a bus for your local elementary school or do regional delivery work for a commercial transportation company. When you spend hours on the road, that means many hours actively gripping a steering wheel and possibly damage to your hands and forearms.
Chefs and prep cooks
It may take several hours to chop all of the vegetables necessary for busy dinner service at a restaurant. Chefs and the professionals who support them in the kitchen may spend 10 or more hours in a single shift holding knives, gripping frying pans and otherwise heavily using their arms and hands.
Anyone who frequently lifts and grips throughout the day at work could eventually develop carpal tunnel syndrome from those repetitive motions. Claiming workers’ compensation benefits can help those harmed by repeating the same job tasks for years.