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Excessive Phone Use Leads To Serious Thumb Injuries
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Excessive Phone Use Leads To Serious Thumb Injuries

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By Josh Piers - May 31, 2022 - 5 Mins Read

Thumb exercises help prevent strain

There are some simple things people could do to prevent thumb pain. Thumb and wrist pain associated with smartphone use are also common. Often referred to as “text claw”, the repetitive strain injury is caused by the constant bending and small repetitive movements of the thumb against the screen. This appears reversible with reduced use but its prevalence is not known. As such, research suggests holding phones with two hands is preferential, as it shares the workload between hands and reduces the likelihood of permanent changes. Ms McCowan explained, "When you think about the thumb, it does that opposite movement, but it can also go in a lot of various directions." "As you may know, the thumb is extremely versatile and mobile so we think about using a Theraband to strengthen the muscles in the forearm," she explained. "I also enjoy the gripping movement, as well as the similar action with putty. You'd repeat the thumb scroll action, so repeating that direction, but you'd also repeat the other direction." Overuse injuries were more common in people over 40, but physiotherapists also saw them in children. However, the good news is that such injuries are not permanent and may be treated, which usually entails splinting to give the finger a chance to rest and strengthening exercises. The most essential element of the treatment was recommending adults to limit their screen time outside of work to less than two hours per day, and much less for children. People must also alter how they hold their phones.
doomscrollingMental healththumb injuries
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Josh Piers

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