It started with a dull pain in my right wrist. Maybe I had worked too hard at the gym. So, I stopped lifting weights with my right arm.
Then the pain returned. Had I carried too many heavy bags? Or did I trip and fall on my wrist? No, I hadn’t done anything like that.
I went to work one morning and started typing on my keyboard, and it got worse.
That’s when I realized that maybe I hadn’t injured myself in just one incident. Maybe I had used my smartphone, or really, abused it.
Our hands are made up of tendons, small bones, muscles and nerves which pass through a central area: the wrist.
And hands and wrists are especially susceptible to damage from the thousands of tiny micromovements we make every day, especially when actions like typing on a phone become so repetitive.
There are three main conditions linked to excessive smartphone use. Trigger finger occurs when the tendon that helps your fingers bend becomes inflamed and gets stuck in a certain position. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition in which the two tendons along the thumb become swollen and irritated. And carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the main nerve that goes to your hand is compressed at your wrist.
And while it may not be considered a medical condition, “smartphone pinky” can also result from repetitive movements. This is a temporary indentation in your little finger that comes from holding your phone in your hand.
Dr. Ariel Williams, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery at Yale Medicine, said she is treating a growing number of patients who say their cell phones made their symptoms worse or that their problems began with a change in their cell phone use.
“It’s probably a combination of repetitive movements that we make when we’re using our phone and also being in a particular position for an extended period of time,” said Williams, who is also an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Yale University School of Medicine.
“All of these things put increased pressure on our bones, joints, ligaments and tendons and can also cause changes that ultimately lead to increased pressure on our nerves.”
But it’s too early to tell whether the technology affects the hands or the wrists more.
“It’s a problem that affects both our wrists and our hands and even sometimes problems we see coming from our elbows,” » Williams said. “Our wrists and hands are so complex, and there are so many infinitesimal movements that happen over and over again, and every time we scroll or text… these things just cause cumulative tension over time.”
But our hands and wrists are not the only ones to be affected. The neck is another part of the body that is under significant stress due to constant interactions with technology. Tech neck is the term for the symptoms associated with this pain.
These symptoms include neck pain, pain or tightness around the back and sides of the neck, stiffness and reduced range of motion in the neck, and headaches.
This condition is something many people need to pay attention to, said ergonomic physiotherapist Kelly Robinson, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
People are increasingly doing most of their daily activities on their phones, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence, Robinson said.
“So the smartphone and the laptop are a part of everyone’s life,” she said, “whether it’s in your personal life, in your professional life, probably both.”
Technical neck can lead to headaches and fatigue
The impact of technology on our necks can be pronounced. The neck is home to several important nerves and neural pathways, so technical neck can lead to headaches and fatigue, and every time you tilt your neck forward, it puts significant strain on the back of your neck.
“They actually did a lot of research on this,” Robinson said, “and what they showed is that even with a 10 or 20 degree increase in the angle of your neck, looking down at a phone, for example, you increase the load on your lower neck, on the joints.”
“So if my head is simply tilted 30 degrees, I increase the load on my neck structures by three times, which can be around 15 to 20 kilos. on my neck.
Some prevention tips for relieving technology-related pain are simple enough to incorporate into your daily life, Robinson said.
Become more ambidextrous: Constantly holding a phone in one hand puts all the strain on that hand and can cause repetitive stress injuries. Try sharing the load with your other hand. This will distribute this pressure between both hands.
Sit in your chair at your desk: Tucking your chair in can make a world of difference when it comes to posture. As you move away from your desk, your neck and back lower and round. When you tuck your chair in, you automatically raise the neck, provided you have the tools needed for the next step.
Get a laptop stand: Bring your laptop to your eyes to avoid looking down. A wireless keyboard and mouse are also useful. This way you don’t need to keep your arms or eyes in awkward positions.
Activate your back muscles: A row of bands can help you activate your back muscles before sitting at your desk for a full day. This keeps your body straighter instead of falling into a hunched position.
Stretch your hands behind your back: Connect your hands behind your back and lean forward, which will stretch your upper back and help you keep your head back.
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