Workers in the manufacturing industry have the highest incidence rate of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) out of any other industry, racking up 1.9 injuries per every 10,000 workers.

CTS is a significant contributor to higher-than-average physical therapy costs for 35- to 44-year-old workers in manufacturing driven mostly by parts assembly workers. As one of the most common injuries requiring physical therapy for this age group, CTS is third only to shoulder pain and lumbago injuries and affects twice as many female manufacturing employees as male.

However, new research from Spain suggests physical therapy may be just as effective as surgery in alleviating pain and restoring function. This research is leading those in the industry to posit a higher reliance on non-surgical physical therapy, which may equate to a decrease in surgical costs.

Read more: 2016 Trends Report: Manufacturing