Repetitive Hand Use Not the Culprit in Carpal Tunnel

FRIDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Go ahead, type the night away. New research has found that genetics, rather than repetitive hand use, is responsible for carpal tunnel syndrome.

"This study has shown that there really is a genetic predisposition to carpal tunnel," said Dr. Roy G. Kulick, chief of hand surgery in the department of orthopedics at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. Kulick was not involved with the study.

Which is not to say that genetics provide the whole answer.

"Age, genetics, obesity, diabetes, thyroid, various types of hormonal conditions, even pregnancy are predisposing factors," said Dr. George Pianka, chief of hand surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Then, there are external factors that will bring up symptoms, so I think it's fair to say that a person may have a genetic or multi-factorial predisposition, and something may aggravate the symptoms or allow the symptoms to manifest."

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"Probably the most accepted stance is that there are, within the population, susceptible groups that will develop carpal tunnel," added Dr. Richard Schultz, an assistant professor of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center and chief of staff at Scott & White University Medical Campus at Round Rock. "How much of a role environment has on those susceptible groups is probably where the debate is. Most people would feel comfortable saying that you have to be almost genetically preselected to be in one of those susceptible groups."

The new findings, expected to be presented Friday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting in San Diego, turns popular wisdom on its head.

"This [repetitive hand use, such as typing] has gotten into newspapers and into one's psyche. There is a gut reaction: 'I use my hands a lot, and I have carpal tunnel, therefore, one must be related to the other,'" Kulick said. "But there has never really been strong scientific, controlled studies showing that there is an association between repetitive stress and carpal tunnel."