Association Between Repetitive Movement Exposure and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms Among Office Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) symptoms are an occupational health concern among office workers who perform repetitive hand and wrist movements during computer-based activities. This study aimed to examine the association between repetitive movement exposure and CTS symptoms among office workers at PT Karya Bintang Mandiri. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study involved 164 office workers recruited using purposive sampling. Repetitive movement exposure was assessed using the Occupational Repetitive Actions (OCRA) Checklist, while CTS symptoms were evaluated using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ). Descriptive statistics and the Pearson Chi-Square test were used to examine the association between repetitive movement exposure and CTS symptoms. Result: Moderate repetitive movement exposure was observed in 83 participants (50.6%), followed by high exposure in 42 (25.6%) and low exposure in 39 (23.8%). Regarding CTS symptoms, 62 participants (37.8%) reported no symptoms, 68 (41.5%) reported mild symptoms, 32 (19.5%) reported moderate symptoms, and 2 (1.2%) reported severe symptoms. The Pearson Chi-Square test indicated a significant association between repetitive movement exposure and CTS symptom categories, χ²(6) = 35.06, p < 0.001. In a supplementary dichotomized analysis, the prevalence of moderate-to-severe CTS symptoms was 47.6% (20/42) among workers with high exposure and 11.5% (14/122) among workers with low-to-moderate exposure (prevalence ratio [PR] = 4.15; 95% CI: 2.31–7.46). Conclusion: Repetitive movement exposure was associated with CTS symptom categories among office workers at PT Karya Bintang Mandiri. These findings support the importance of ergonomic risk assessment and preventive measures in office environments. Further studies using longitudinal designs and clinical diagnostic assessments are warranted.