Using a smartphone continuously with repetitive movements can cause pain in the thumb and little finger and damage the wrist joint.
Dr. Huynh Hoang Anh, Department of Rehabilitation, Center for Orthopedics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said positions such as bending the wrist, using the little finger as a support, gliding with the thumb … when using smartphones (smartphones) can cause a series of bone and joint problems in the hands as below.
Thumb
The tendons help the finger bend or straighten. When performing operations such as surfing the phone, texting, etc., the thumb constantly shrinks and stretches. If you use your phone regularly, these repetitive movements cause fatigue and tendon damage. At this time, the patient feels pain when bending or stretching their fingers, and stiffness when moving. This is a typical symptom of trigger finger, which occurs when the tendon sheath in the finger flexor tendon becomes inflamed.
Little finger
Using the pinky finger as a pedestal when using the phone is a common habit. However, this position strains the ligaments connecting the fingers to the hand, causing numbness at the fingertips, pain or stiffness at the base of the fingers, and finger joints making sounds when moving.
Wrist, elbow
Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in people who regularly use computers, but people who use phones frequently can also experience it. The bent position of the wrist when holding the phone for a long time causes pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. At this time, the patient experiences numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This long-term condition can reduce grip strength and wrist mobility. Some studies show that people who have the habit of using smartphones for more than 5 hours a day often have more wrist pain.
This mechanism also happens with the elbow. Phone users often tend to bend their elbows at an angle of more than 90 degrees. This prolonged action increases pressure and compresses the ulnar nerve, leading to damage.
Doctor Hoang Anh said that sometimes bone and joint damage caused by using the phone for a long time may require surgical treatment. When feeling pain or other unusual symptoms appear, the patient needs to rest and limit finger and wrist movement. If necessary, patients can take over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve pain. If the pain does not decrease, lasts 7-10 days and home treatments are not effective, the patient should see a doctor.
To prevent pain and bone and joint damage, you should limit using the phone continuously for long periods of time, hold and perform operations with both hands… Use smaller buttons that force your muscles to work. Move more and get tired faster. When you need to compose a message, you should turn your phone sideways and avoid using a smart watch connected to your phone to text.