ABSTRACT
Grasping and squeezing objects and manipulating them with the fingers are common workplace activities. However, it is widely accepted that they cause or contribute to hand overexertion disorders, known as cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). Three main factors have been implicated in the prevalence and severity of these disorders: great muscular contractions in squeezing, repetitive muscular contractions in maintaining high rates of work (even if they are not of great magnitude), sharp bending of the wrist, and inadequate rest. In order to prevent or minimize CTDs, these factors must be carefully analyzed. This article examines the strength of the fingers in pinching. Like hand gripping, pinching has been deemed one of the main factors responsible for CTDs of the hand, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and other forms of tendinitis. This article discusses pinching. No attempt is made to explain the details of CTDs of the hand since that topic is discussed elsewhere.
