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Volume 17
Issue 24
10.3390/ijerph17249529
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Background:
Case Report

Work Disabling Nerve Injury at Both Elbows Due to Laptop Use at Flexible Workplaces inside an Office: Case-Report of a Bilateral Ulnar Neuropathy

by
P. Paul F. M. Kuijer
1,*,
Joris van der Pas
2 and
Henk F. van der Molen
1
1
Department of Public and Occupational Health, Netherlands Centre for Occupational Diseases, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2
Self-Employed Occupational Physician, 5221 Den Bosch, The Netherlands
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249529
Submission received: 17 October 2020 / Revised: 12 December 2020 / Accepted: 15 December 2020 / Published: 19 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Etiology and Preventive Measures to Reduce Work Related Diseases)
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Abstract

Background: This case report describes whether a female civil servant who developed bilateral ulnar neuropathy can be classified as having an occupational disease. Methods: The Dutch six-step protocol for the assessment and prevention of occupational diseases is used. Results: Based on the six-step protocol, we propose that pressure on the ulnar nerve in the elbow region precipitated the neuropathy for this employee while working prolonged periods in elbow flexion with a laptop. Conclusion: Despite the low incidence laptop use might be a risk factor for the occurrence of ulnar neuropathy due to prolonged pressure on the elbow. Employers and workers need to be educated about this disabling occupational injury due to laptop use and about protective work practices such as support for the upper arm and elbow. This seems especially relevant given the trend of more flexible workspaces inside and outside offices, and given the seemingly safe appearance of laptop use.
Keywords: occupational disease; neuropathy; laptop; risk factors; workstation; prevention; elbow; nerve injury; ergonomics occupational disease; neuropathy; laptop; risk factors; workstation; prevention; elbow; nerve injury; ergonomics

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kuijer, P.P.F.M.; van der Pas, J.; van der Molen, H.F. Work Disabling Nerve Injury at Both Elbows Due to Laptop Use at Flexible Workplaces inside an Office: Case-Report of a Bilateral Ulnar Neuropathy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 9529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249529

AMA Style

Kuijer PPFM, van der Pas J, van der Molen HF. Work Disabling Nerve Injury at Both Elbows Due to Laptop Use at Flexible Workplaces inside an Office: Case-Report of a Bilateral Ulnar Neuropathy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(24):9529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249529

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kuijer, P. Paul F. M., Joris van der Pas, and Henk F. van der Molen. 2020. "Work Disabling Nerve Injury at Both Elbows Due to Laptop Use at Flexible Workplaces inside an Office: Case-Report of a Bilateral Ulnar Neuropathy" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 24: 9529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249529

APA Style

Kuijer, P. P. F. M., van der Pas, J., & van der Molen, H. F. (2020). Work Disabling Nerve Injury at Both Elbows Due to Laptop Use at Flexible Workplaces inside an Office: Case-Report of a Bilateral Ulnar Neuropathy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249529

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