What the Research Tells Us About CTS in Construction

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common and debilitating workplace injuries—particularly in physically demanding industries like construction. A massive 19-year cohort study, recently published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, tracked over 200,000 Swedish male construction workers and found clear links between certain job exposures and the likelihood of requiring CTS surgery.

Key takeaways:

  • A 2.6× higher risk for workers with high upper limb load.
  • Increased risk with power grip, pinch grip, repetitive wrist movements, and use of vibrating tools.
    CTS risk was not uniform across trades—some roles like woodworkers and floor layers had far higher incidence than electricians or drivers.
  • Shorter height, higher BMI, and history of smoking also correlated with increased CTS risk.

Recommendations for Reducing CTS Risk

The study’s authors recommend early prevention, tailored ergonomics, and occupational screening to reduce the long-term burden of CTS in manual trades.
You can read the full open-access study here: Download the PDF

Citation

Stjernbrandt, A., Liv, P., Jackson, J.A., Pettersson, H., Lewis, C., Punnett, L., & Wahlström, J. (2025). Occupational biomechanical risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome surgery: a prospective cohort study on 203,866 Swedish male construction workers followed for 19 years. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 82(4), 263–269. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2024-110008

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