Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome In Kids

A majority of children are now using desk computers, hand-held electronics such as smart phones and PDAs, and gaming controls on a daily basis.

Parents should take an active part in teaching their children techniques that will help them prevent future injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis.

The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) stresses the importance of developing good habits early on in children to prevent hand and wrist injuries in adulthood.

Healthy techniques learned at a young age can carry over into other aspects of life where there is a similar injury risk such as sitting in front of a computer or playing musical instruments.

The ASHT Media News Bureau provided the following overall tips and health guidelines for kids and video gamers of all ages:

Prevent Future Injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendonitis:

• Tell your child to use a neutral grip when holding the controller. A neutral grip is when the wrist is straight, not bent in either direction (not strong or weak). It will allow for wrist motion in a plane where more motion is available in the wrist.
• Ask your child to take a break every hour or switch to another activity. Overuse of repetitive motions, such as pressing buttons, can cause tendonitis of the elbow or lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

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