What is smartphone thumb and what you can do to prevent it

Do you have a smartphone thumb? Here's how you can use your smartphone without damaging your thumb!

Smartphone thumb has become one of the biggest problems across the globe. This is probably one of the most significant side effects of using the smartphone. It is a severe physiological problem that is a result of inflammation of the tendon that bends and flexes your thumb[1]. It has its roots from the traditional problem faced by the factory workers who used to do highly repetitive jobs at the factory and skilled labour. Now after the advent of smartphones, a highly repetitive job like texting can cause smartphone thumb.[2] But what is the solution to this? Using the phone to the minimum is the answer. Here are a few more handy tips to prevent the problem:

Take breaks and stay away from the device once in a while.

Use voice-to-text features on your phone, this way your thumb will get a break. This will provide relaxation too.

Use a stylus instead of your fingers. Once you get into the habit, you will easily be able to use it conveniently. It is a nice way to give your thumbs a break.

Don't put pressure on one hand, instead switch your hands which will divide the pressure equally on both hands.

Put your phone on the table and text. Yes! It will distribute the pressure on fingers because when you use your hands only, you tend only use your thumbs for texting.

Are you a smartphone addict? Are you taking precautions to save yourself from developing smartphone thumb? You might want to read the other side effects of texting too, read: 8 ways your smartphone is affecting your health and emotional well-being

[1] nal EE, Dem rc k, et nt rk A, Akg n l M, Sava S. Effects of smartphone overuse on hand function, pinch strength, and the median nerve. Muscle Nerve. 2015 Aug;52(2):183-8. doi: 10.1002/mus.24695. Epub 2015 Jun 3.

[2] Mourcou, Q., Fleury, A., Diot, B., Franco, C., & Vuillerme, N. (2015). Mobile Phone-Based Joint Angle Measurement for Functional Assessment and Rehabilitation of Proprioception. BioMed Research International, 2015, 328142. http://doi.org/10.1155/2015/328142