Certain pains we consider a part of life and tend to accept, these include a sore back after an exhausting day’s work, pain in the shoulder due to the laptop bag and of course the major pain- your boss. There is nothing wrong with a little pain and we continue working nonetheless. But ignoring pain is not a smart move. Long term neglected pains, becomes worse and may render you incapable for work for a long time.
One such pain comes from our beloved blackberries. Our ability to take them anywhere and work anytime makes us overwork our little thumbs which then start aching. Thus we acquire another new fad- the Blackberry thumb.
About the Blackberry Thumb
Blackberry thumb is a term for a form of repetitive strain injury caused by the frequent use of the thumb to press buttons on Personal Digital Assistants or PDAs, smart phones, or other mobile devices.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Blackberry thumb include aching and throbbing pain in the thumb or sometimes other fingers and in the wrist. You also feel a pain that makes you unable to use hands.
Why the thumb?
The Thumb is the least dexterous digit of the hand and is meant for grip and the fingers for movements. That is why on the desktop keyboard it is the fingers that type most of the time while the thumb is only used to press the space bar. Any device that relies only on the thumb for typing can cause this type of injury.
The Other problem with blackberry other than the use of thumb is that the buttons are placed too close and there is hardly any space which in turns puts more pressure on the thumb.
Who is more prone?
You may have seen teenagers and youngsters hooked to their I- phones and mobiles but doctors say it is the middle aged who are more prone to blackberry thumb. This is due to the fact that towards the middle age, bones wear out and tend to develop arthritis.
What can you do?
If it is impossible for you to give up your blackberry then,
Take a short break from it
Take a temporary break when you will not type on the Blackberry. A small break will help your thumb rest and reduce some of the pain. Do not ignore the pain and use the blackberry in spite of the pain, it will make it worse.
Limit the usage
Do not do the work that you can do on your desktop, on your blackberries. Keep the mails short. Reply in ‘yes’, ‘no’, use short sentences. Use your desktop for work that requires more typing.
Splint
You can use splints or an external support which are customized for your hand. You can wear them while sleeping. These can reduce the pain to a great extent by reducing the pressure on your thumb and improve the symptoms.
Icing the area
It is found that icing the area helps you in managing the pain. Remember to use ice throughout the area and not just on one spot.
Exercise and therapy
When the pain is consistent and lasts for a long time, you need to consult a physiotherapist. Therapists will advice some massages, exercises and therapies to relieve your pain.
Some tips to prevent Blackberry thumb
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Stretch your thumb
Keep your palm faced down and pull the thumb outwards. Stay in that positions for 5 seconds do it for both the hands.
Flex your wrist
Keep your hands facing downwards and move your hands upwards and downwards hold in each position for 5 seconds. This will take care of the awkward angle that your wrists lie while texting and also improves circulation.
Use all your fingers
Try to use your other fingers also when typing on the blackberry which will reduce the stress your single thumb.
Take breaks
Take break after every 5 minutes of usage. Slow down the speed of your typing and also do some stretching of the muscles.
Blackberries allow you to be on move and yet participate in various activities that help you perform better. If you only take care of how you use your blackberry there is no reason why you can be pain free. So use blackberries but don’t overwork your thumb.
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