Development of a Physical Examination for a Company-Based Management Program for Work-Related Upper Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorders

The purpose of this project was to develop a streamlined upper extremity examination to be used in a company-based upper extremity CTD management program. Thirty-six symptomatic employees were examined by an occupational health nurse and categorized into those requiring further medical evaluation or those appropriate for conservative management. Backward logistic regression showed that the Appearance and Symmetry (AS) and the Neurological and Special Tests (NST) sections of the examination together explained 86.1% (p = 0.002) of the nurses categorical decisions. Based on these preliminary development data, a short screening examination was proposed.