Hand-Wrist Disorders in Chainsaw Operators: A Follow-Up Study in a Group of Italian Loggers

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2021-07, Vol.18 (14), p.7217
• Main Authors: Masci, Federica, Spatari, Giovanna, Giorgianni, Concetto Mario, Pernigotti, Elisa, Antonangeli, Laura Maria, Bordoni, Vittorio, Magenta Biasina, Alberto, Pietrogrande, Luca, Colosio, Claudio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Chain saws; Data collection; Diseases; Forestry; Hand; Health risks; Investigations; Limbs; Logging; Maneuvers; Mechanization; Questionnaires; Signs and symptoms; Tendinitis; Tendons; Ultrasonic imaging; Workers; Wrist
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147217

Despite the mechanization process implemented in arboriculture, logging tasks are still manually performed by chainsaw operators, which therefore are exposed to the risk of developing hand-wrist musculoskeletal disorders. Our research aimed to: (a) define whether the slight changes observed in 2017 showed an evolution to overt diseases; (b) study some risk determinants for these diseases such as age, working experience, and performing a secondary job. We recruited in a two-year follow-up study, 38 male forestry workers performing logging tasks employed in the Sicilian Forestry Department located in Enna. All the subjects underwent: (1) personal data collection; (2) administration of questionnaire addressed at upper limbs symptoms with a hand chart; (3) physical examination of the upper limbs, including Tinel’s and Phalen’s maneuvers; (4) ultrasound investigation of the hand-wrist area. In the two-year follow-up study we registered an overall increasing in wrist disorders, thus we can assume that forestry workers may be a target population for wrist diseases and deserve a particular attention in workers’ health surveillance programs. Interestingly, the prevalence of wrist-hand disorders resulted to be higher in younger workers.