Forget about tennis elbow and pulled hamstrings, the latest physical impairment phenomena affecting America's youth are text message injuries.

Text messaging, also known as "texting," has become an every-day part of life, but according to the American Society of Hand Therapists, the overuse of small electronics that depend on heavy thumb use can lead to chronic pain and permanent injuries.

"The increased use of cell phones, personal digital assistants and other devices capable of sending text messages is causing an increased number of tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome cases," said Dr. Christine Ho, a pediatric orthopedic specialist at Children's Medical Center Dallas and assistant professor of Orthopedics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "In fact, almost four million people annually are stricken with repetitive stress injuries from texting."

Signs of texting injuries
Text-message injuries usually start with pain and/or swelling in the thumb, wrist or forearm, followed by difficulty with fine movements of the thumb. There also can be a feeling of a knot in some muscles. Other symptoms include:

• Muscular fatigue or weakness.
• Tingling or other discomfort with repetitive movement.
• Limited range of motion.
• Sharp pain.
• Complete numbness.
• Loss of use of the body part affected.

Treatment for texting injuries
Doctors recommend a number of treatment options for those stricken with texting injuries. Some of the most common include:

• Targeted exercises or physical therapy.
• Pain and anti-inflammatory medication.
• In severe cases, surgery might be necessary.

Prevent texting injuries before they occur
Early prevention is the best way to avoid pain associated with sending text messages health experts recommend the following techniques:

• Limit the number of texts sent per day.
• Take frequent breaks, at least one or two minutes for every 10 or 15 spent typing.
• Don't use the same finger (or thumb) to do all the typing.
• Taking the time to stretch and relax your hands in between text messages also has proven effective.

The following routines can help lessen the forearm and hand strain associated with sending text messages:

• The wrist stretch – stretch the wrist backward, hold for three seconds, then stretch it forward.
• The finger spread – spread the fingers as wide apart as you can, hold for three seconds, then bunch them into a fist and hold for three seconds.
• The fist stretch – hold the arm at right angles from the elbow. Make a fist and tense it, and the whole of your arm. Hold for two to three seconds, then relax and let the arm flop to your side.

Resources
Children's Medical Center Dallas
American Academy of Pediatrics
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke