"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
. ..
One of my mechanics is claiming carpal tunnel. I always thought
repetitive
motion was to blame.

I worked in a machine shop for 30 years and when things got slow. I moved
over to the assembly department, because I was low man on the seniority
list. It took about a month for both hands and wrists hurt and woke me up in
the middle of the night. When I woke up 3 fingers on each hand were hurting.
I also got what felt like electric shocks in the palm of my left hand every
once in a while at work. The first shock test showed only slight carpal
tunnel, so the doctor had me come back in 6 months. Then it was full blown
in each hand. I had surgery on the left hand first. I was off work for 3
weeks on workers comp. Then light duty for 5 weeks and then the other hand
was done. Same situation. It did help a lot although I would feel strains in
my palms like they weren't healed up the from the surgery once in a while.
This happened only when I was doing some heavy work. Even though I was back
to regular work my hands weren't back to normal, but were a lot better. I
got no big check and I wasn't looking for one. I did how ever get the doctor
bills paid and reduced pay for the time lost by workers comp. Which was only
fair since I had worked at several shops in those 30 years. So why would I
expect a company that I worked only 3 years for to give me a big nest egg. I
am still there and have been there for 8 1/2 years now. Carpel tunnel isn't
the end of the world, because you can still work after surgery.

One thing you don't want to do is have surgery on both hands at the same
time. I know someone who did. They had to have some one feed them and clean
them off after they went to the bathroom. I still wonder what they were
thinking when they went in for surgery.

Richard W.