Upper limb performance across temperature extremes: evaluating functional risks in carpal tunnel syndrome and healthy workers.

Objective: This study explores the effect of exposing the upper limb to different levels of temperature and compares results between healthy humans and humans with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Additionally, gender disparities are addressed in the study. Background: Muscle efficiency is affected by ambient conditions. Awareness of such conditions increase work efficiency, avoid excessive muscle strain and prevent performance variability. Method: A full factorial design was used to recruit 12 participants for the study, six of whom were diagnosed with CTS. The procedure included three stages: an initial 15 min cooling phase in 10 °C water, a 15 min warming in 35 °C water, and a final recovery phase at room temperature (∼25 °C). At each stage, muscle dexterity and strength were assessed using three tests, namely, gross motor skills test, fine motor skills test and hand grip strength (HGS) test. Results: Changes in ambient temperature were found to have a positive significant effect on human functionality in terms of dexterity and strength. According to the experimental runs, males functionality showed more variation across different temperature levels compared to that of females. Gender appeared as a significant factor in performance of participants at the gross motor skills test but not the fine motor skills test. CTS diagnosed participants exhibited a significant variation in the performance of fine motor skills but not in the gross motor skills when compared to healthy participants. Conclusion: Keeping the upper limb in warm temperature is critical to maximize performance of workers and prevent discomfort and injuries.