ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Increasing in children?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we live our daily lives across the country. It has also had an indirect effect on health in ways we haven’t even considered.

Even before COVID, it was not uncommon to see students developing back and neck issues from carrying heavy book bags. Now with schools closing and remote learning becoming more common, we don’t see that as much. Unfortunately, a new issue has taken its place, carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr. Rahul Shah, an Orthopedic Spine and Neck Surgeon, stated that “while historically he saw carpal tunnel symptoms in young patients rarely, now, he’s seeing it once or twice every couple of weeks.”

While there are multiple causes of CTS, the most common is repetitive motions, such as typing or playing a musical instrument.

The ability to learn remotely means that students can continue their schooling in spite of COVID. Unfortunately our homes are not usually designed with ergonomic workstations that are appropriate for the students using them. Especially for the length of time they are expected to be in use. This could possibly allow students to spend more time looking down possibly at a laptop, exactly the type of scenario that leads to CTS, as well as other neck and shoulder issues.

Because CTS is caused by repetitive motions, and these conditions are cumulative, children are beginning down the path to CTS at even younger ages. Another issue is that most kids play video games, combined with other device usage, and only increases those risks.

Usually minor discomfort occurs in a relatively short time, but the more serious CTS symptoms typically develop over time. Sometimes it takes 6 months to a year.

Dr. Theodore Ganley, an orthopedic surgeon at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics section on orthopedics stated recently in an interview, “We don’t think of kids getting repetitive stress injuries or fatigue injuries or musculoskeletal aches and pains like the parents and grandparents get…[But children] are not immune from these things, especially if they work at computers day after day in awkward postures.”

Our children’s health and safety are always a main concern. As we already know, the use of technology is occurring more frequently and in more settings, not only for learning, but leisure time as well and it is crucial to help them establish good habits from the beginning.

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Dr. Wayne M. Fichter Jr. is a chiropractor at Natural Spine Solutions. The business is located at 3913 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene. For more information, please contact us at 208-966-4425.