Activity, computer keyboarding

This code indicates that a patient's injury or condition was caused by or occurred during the act of typing on a computer keyboard. It specifies the activity as the external cause of the injury, rather than the nature of the injury itself. This code is typically used as a secondary code to provide additional detail about the circumstances surrounding an injury.

Use this code when documenting injuries directly attributable to computer keyboard use, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injuries of the hand or wrist, or tendinitis. It is appropriate for both acute injuries sustained during a specific keyboarding session and chronic conditions exacerbated by prolonged typing. This code should be assigned in conjunction with a primary diagnosis code describing the actual injury.

• Always assign this as a secondary external cause code, never as a primary diagnosis.
• Ensure the medical record clearly links the injury to the activity of computer keyboarding.
• Do not use for injuries related to general computer use if keyboarding is not the specific causative activity.