Carpal tunnel syndrome in carpet weavers

We examined the prevalence of abnormal median nerve conduction within the carpal tunnel in carpet weavers. Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) were performed on both hands of 47 subjects. Subjects had worked previously for an average of 8.4 (range 6-21) years and a mean age of 34.8 (17-55) years. An abnormal median nerve latencies and, symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were found 10 (21.2%) and 2 (4.2%) in the subjects studied, respectively. We conclude that the high prevalence of abnormal median nerve conduction without corresponding symptoms, may suggest a subclinical entity associated with CTS.