Sustained Return to Work After Surgical Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - A Register Based Cohort Study Among Public Sector Employees
Abstract
Background
Carpal tunnel syndrome is among the most prevalent upper extremity disorders causing work disability. There is a lack of studies on return to work after carpal tunnel surgery.
Methods
We investigated the length of sickness leave and sustained return to work (SRTW) after surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Results
Of those who had at least one sickness leave period related to carpal tunnel syndrome, 74% were treated surgically. In total, there were 714 periods of surgical treatment. In 9% of the cases, there was no sickness leave or it lasted up to ten days. In 50% of the cases, time to SRTW did not exceed 34 days. And in 75% of the cases, it did not exceed 42 days. Men, managers and professionals and those working under temporary employment contracts returned to work somewhat sooner than others.
Conclusions
On average, public sector employees returned successfully to work after five weeks' sickness leave. In physically strenuous work, this time period was somewhat longer.
Authors
Johanna Kausto, Lauri J. Virta, Tuula Oksanen
Additional Information
- Peer-Reviewed: yes.
- Open Access: yes.
- Cite as: Kausto, J., Virta, L., & Oksanen., T. (2018). Työhönpaluu rannekanavaoireyhtymän leikkaushoidon jälkeen. Duodecim, 134(1), 71–78. https://www.duodecimlehti.fi/duo14103
