-Smartphones may NOT BE SO SMART--
You’ve heard it said before, everything in moderation.... This couldn’t be more fitting when applied to our usage of cellular and mobile devices. We are told to correct our posture when sitting, driving, and even when sitting on the couch. But have you ever thought about why your thumb, wrist, & neck hurt more, especially after holding your personal cellular device for an extended period of time? You guessed it! Poor posture.
According to Dr. Daniel Polatsch, a renowned orthopedic hand surgeon, trigger finger or trigger thumb can develop from those spending long hours at the computer. Carpal tunnel rates have increased, especially in younger populations. Certainly, we know our ancestors were not afflicted with these types of conditions when related to device usage. We can also bet that our ancestors predicted these problems as they may have been slower to adapt such technology.
With that said;
Here are some of our best wellness solutions to this 21st century problem (and If we properly mitigate these risks now, we may just be able to prevent this from becoming a 22nd century problem).
1. Bring the device to you versus holding it out away from your body, and take breaks when typing for long periods of time.
2. Send long articles to your computer/email to read in a more ergonomic position.
3. Dictate to text-especially if you are writing a short story to your BFF. Or turn the phone sideways.
4. Resist slouching. Alternate hands. And use other fingers.
5. Limit phone usage at night prior to bed – it can keep us awake for longer than we want.
And finally, come see us if these stresses start to cause you any or all of the following; difficulty/pain/weakness of the hands/wrist/shoulders or neck, or limitations with certain activities, etcetera. Our Occupational Therapy Department will be able to help you identify these stresses that decrease your overall wellness/posture and help you to use these in moderation. Call us today- or anytime- without moderation!
