CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS

A direct relationship between work activities and the onset of musculo skeletal symptoms has not been definitively proven, but several diagno stic entities are thought to be caused or magnified by repetitive moti ons or cumulative trauma on the job. This article discusses the identi fication and treatment of these recognized clinical entities, includin g compressive neuropathies, sites of tenosynovitis (such as trigger di git, de Quervain's syndrome, and intersection syndrome), epicondylitis , and carpometacarpal arthritis. These conditions typically produce a definable set of symptoms and physical findings, and standard treatmen t approaches have been identified. If the picture is unclear and diagn osis of a specific clinical condition cannot be established, the autho rs recommend that physicians not label patients with vague diagnostic terms unsupportable by objective criteria.