Factors Associated with the Return to Work after Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Worker Population

Abstract

Background: There is controversy regarding the factors influencing the duration of sickness absence and return to work (RTW) after surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This study aimed to determine factors related to RTW in these patients. Methods: This descriptive–analytical study was performed on all patients with CTS who underwent surgery in a main orthopaedic centre from December 2020 to April 2021. Patients were followed for 90 days after surgery for the RTW. The patients were classified into two groups based on the time of RTW, early (<21 days) and late (>21 days). These two groups were compared in terms of occupational, individual and disease-related factors and the type of surgery. Results: The mean time to RTW in patients was 23.2 ± 7.1 days, with a range of 7–60 days. There was a statistically significant relationship between early RTW and gender (female) (p = 0.005 OR = 6.5), non-manual work (p = 0.002 OR = 1.2), the total score of the Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire before surgery and job satisfaction (p = 0.04). The mean time to RTW in patients who underwent open surgery was less than in endoscopic surgery (22.89 ± 6.29 vs. 24.58 ± 4.7), but this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Based on the findings of our study, the type of surgery does not affect the RTW of patients with CTS. Considering the effect of job type and job satisfaction on RTW, it is recommended to pay attention to the type of occupation in addition to the type of surgery so that this workforce can RTW with good performance. Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)