• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): Compression of the median nerve by swollen tendons in the wrist causing compression of the median nerve.
• Tenosynovitis: Pain and swelling of the tendon and its sheath, especially in the hand or wrist.
• Tendonitis: Pain and swelling of the tendons.
• Epicondylitis: Pain and tenderness at the two bony points on either side of the elbow (tennis elbow or golfer's elbow).
• Trigger-Finger: Locking of any one of the fingers in the flexed downward position into the palm of the hand - usually caused by an adhesion(s) that has formed on the tendon. As the finger is flexed downward, the tendon slides through the pulleys and the tendon sheath, and becomes locked into the palm of the hand due to the inability of the adhesion to "fit" back through the tendon sheath and/or pulleys when the finger is extended.

The Basic Warning Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
and Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI's) Are:

• Numbness and tingling of the thumb and first three fingers. (CTS)
• A clumsy feeling in your hand. (CTS, RSI)
• Weakness in your hand. (CTS, RSI)
• Pain traveling from your hand/ wrist up into your elbow, shoulder, neck and upper back. (CTS, RSI)
• Pain is worse at night. (CTS)
• Numbness and tingling in the ring and little finger. (RSI)
• Numbness of the entire hand, especially when the hands are elevated. (RSI )
• General ache, or stabbing/shooting pain in the backs of the hands (RSI)

National Statistics Reveal the Devastating Effects of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS),
and other forms of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI):

• Men accounted for two out of three injuries, and workers age 25 to 44 had 55 percent of the injuries. (National Academy of Sciences)
• The National Academy of Sciences estimates that musculoskeletal disorders -- things like carpal-tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and lower back pain -- cost the nation $45 billion to $54 billion in compensation, lost wages, and lower productivity each year. (National Academy of Sciences)
• Of the injuries reported in 1999, repetitive motion, sprains or strains caused 582,300 injuries. (National Academy of Sciences)
• About one in five MSDs occurred in those occupations (Truck drivers, non-construction laborers, nursing aids and orderlies. Sprains, strains and tears were by far the most common lost-worktime injuries, accounting for 43.4% of the total in 1999. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Of the MSD causes, those caused by repetitive motion--grasping tools, scanning groceries or typing on computer keyboards--resulted in the longest absences from work, a median of 17 days. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• The most disabling injury in terms of lost work time was carpal tunnel syndrome, where the median absence was 27 days. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)