Texting and Thumb Injuries
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, JUNE 1, 2009
Teenagers sending and receiving an average of 80 text messages each day may be vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries of the thumb, according to the New York Times. As with Blackberry Thumb, compulsive texting can cause cramping, pain or numbness. While previous reports have stated that teens seem largely immune to Blackberry Thumb and that problems (like tendonitis) tend to crop up in patients in their 40s and 50s, the long-term effects of frequent texting are unknown. Ergonomics researchers are just beginning to study texting's impact, according to the Times.
There are few treatments for Blackberry thumb, largely non-invasive: icing, splinting, physical therapy and steroid injections. In severe cases, surgery can be performed to remove scar tissue, according to the American Physical Therapy Association. The best option may be prevention. On its U.K. website, Virgin Mobile offers a series of exercises, including a thumb stretch (you can also check out this contraption for hand strengthening), all designed to minimize the strain of texting.
