Unusual occupational rheumatologic and musculoskeletal disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common clinical occupational problems, but occupational rheumatologic diseases are among the rarest. The identification of one or more cases of unusual diseases or epidemiologically unusual presentations must alert the clinician to the possibility of group exposure and risk and emphasizes the need to explore these using the model of "sentinel health event." Cumulative trauma disorders, including thoracic outlet syndrome and reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, and occupational rheumatologic disorders of other etiology (Raynaud's phenomenon, scleroderma, fluorosis, osteomalacia, aseptic necrosis, and Caplan's syndrome) are reviewed.