There is nothing new about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Anyone working on an assembly line or typing 8 hours a day can tell you that.
What's different is that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome used to be connected almost solely with one's work. A typist, an assembler, a seamstress.
But because almost everyone now works on a computer, for both fun and work, carpal tunnel syndrome and the newer problem of having 'Blackberry Thumb' (or similiar issues with other small hand held devices, commonly known as a PDA - Personal Digital Assistant) causing users of the small Blackberry to experience pain and discomfort from repetitive use is experienced by many, whether student or middle-aged exec or retiree.
What can we do to alleviate the pain? According to experts there are several ways. " Try to do more on your computer. Don't write phone books on your PDA. Limit yourself to 'yes' or 'no' answers when you can," advised Dr. Charles Leinberry Jr., a hand and wrist specialist at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital." SOURCE http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_65822.html
And because Blackberry's are integral to so many peoples lives (just ask my husband!), getting them to stop using them on evenings and weekends is nearly impossible. And especially as people travel for work more and more, having a PDA is mandatory.
"Margot Miller, president of the American Physical Therapy Association's Occupational Health Special Interest Group, added: "Because the keyboard of the PDA is so small, and because the thumb, which is the least dexterous part of the hand, is overtaxed, the risk of injury just skyrockets."
"The use of PDAs is no longer limited to the eight hours spent in the workplace," Miller said. "More and more, people are depending on these devices to stay in touch with friends and family before and after the workday and on the weekends, as well as having access to work when they leave the office. That is where the heart of the problem lies." ." SOURCE http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_65822.html
A doctor or physical therapist can explain the exercises that can help with pain and a cortisone shot may be given, if necessary.
Other than that, unless we are prepared to give up our computers and PDAs (and I am not!), carpal tunnel and Blackberry thumb may be here to stay.
I experience pain in my right hand regularly, and I particularly feel it using my computer mouse. I did get tested for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (and the testing was very painful) but the results were negative.
Tell Us-
Do you experience pain from repetitive use of a PDA, mouse or computer? What other discomforts do you have, from using modern devices?
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Add a Comment12 Comments
Thanks for every body's input. In my case I'll have to say, All of the above, except no blackberry, but a good Android phone sensitive to touch, but what I'm experiencing is sensitivity with my finger on touch screen that shoots up to my wrists and forearm. I always have to use my splinters to even use "swype" which if the most convenient way of writing on a computer. Still my finger would be so sensitive. Of course this is all after I'm hurt by being on the computer at work for 9 hours a day and hurting my wrists neck back knee, and like she said tendonitis, and...
August 25, 2011 - 10:26pmAnd I was very harpy that with touch screen and specially invention of "Swype"I do not have to press on keys any more, but either the damage if already done, or even with this method the nerve sensitivity still carries on to the wrists and contribute to Carpal Tunnle. Now other than using bracelets I'm thinking of something to use with touch screen like a felt pencil or something of the sort that is used at supermarkets for signing touch screen pads. Any ideas?
This Comment
I am currently in conversation with Verizon regarding my Blackberry Storm and a painful thumb. The Storm's "click-screen" is the problem for me, the unique properties of the screen requiring quite a bit more pressure than a typical Blackberry screen/keyboard. Verizon's response thus far has been "no one else seems to have this problem." Thank you for the additional evidence that I am not alone and need to have my phone replaced without additional cost.
January 28, 2010 - 5:10pmThis Comment
You're welcome, Anon, and I hope you will keep us posted and let us know the outcome of your discussions with Verizon. Good luck! Pat
January 28, 2010 - 5:19pmThis Comment
Hi Susan Yes, I've experienced pain from repetitive use of pointing devices and have also had eye problems when using small screen devices too much. Generally I can tell when I'm starting to overdo repetitive hand use and then make sure to take at least one break an hour from using my hand.
What's more disturbing to me is that there are even more significant problems that can occur from long term use of these devices. I'm hearing from people I know who work in the high tech field and were on these devices decades earlier than the general population. These are mean and women in their 40's and older who have debilitating conditions affecting their backs, necks, arms, shoulders and/or hands that can be directly tied to having spent so many years working on keyboards for six or more hours per day.
It's interesting that so many of the device manufacturers have aimed at an extremely young market, with even cell phones for toddlers, and there is little to no focus on the long term physical consequences of these activities.
Great post! Thanks for sharing. Pat
January 4, 2010 - 6:49pmThis Comment
Just saw this post. No, I haven't had any physical therapy because I was declined for medical insurance due to the "pre-existing condition" of tendonitis!!! Now I'm going to try a group plan with my father/broker and a year later and still in pain I pray I can get some treatment and get my active lifestyle back. I miss hiking, and running! Any luck for you?
January 3, 2010 - 5:33amThis Comment
have never thought about it like that before. Thanks so much for the depth and understanding at which you covered the topic. it's a useful piece of information not only for me but for many others. have read a lot on the topic at different blogs, magazines but this piece really gives food for thought
July 30, 2009 - 12:19amThis Comment
Yes I do - I recently purchased an iPhone and from using my right hand a lot to write emails and search the web/applications I'm noticing more and more the pain in my joints on my right thumb. What are some excercises that I can do to avoid this pain (well, besides the obvious of not using my thumb as much and lessening the time on my iPhone)?
July 17, 2009 - 10:22amThanks, EPN
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Susan, a few years ago I started having repetitive strain symptoms in my right hand, wrist and arm, sometimes radiating all the way up to my shoulder. I was on a computer for 8, 9, 10 hours a day and there was no way to change that at the time.
One of the things I did, besides learn to read an entire screen at a time (just takes one "page up" or "page down" click at a time, instead of click click click click as I read lines one by one) was to train myself to be left-moused.
I am right-handed without a shred of ambidextrousness. But there are a few things that you can do with your non-dominant hand that helps, and becoming left-moused is one of them. It only feels awkward for a day. The second day, it feels easier. By the third day, you're doing much better with the fine motor movements. I was left-moused for a couple of years after that until I changed jobs and wasn't on the computer nearly as much.
Also, realize the small things we constantly do out of habit, and switch them! Make that left hand and arm pick up the slack! I learned to do things like pick up my purse with my left hand instead of my right, or a grocery bag, or a book. I brushed my teeth with my left hand. (No left-handed hair-styling, though; that would have been disastrous.)
Left-mousing (or right-mousing for those whose dominant hand is the left hand) can really help a lot. It takes a million tiny movements away from your dominant hand and gives them to the hand that's sort of gotten a free ride all these years, LOL. Try it!
June 16, 2009 - 8:02amThis Comment
This is a great share because someone was just telling me that I am going to have carpal thumb from my blackberry. It is a complete addiction. Thanks for the share. It is certainly something to keep in mind for the future since this will certainly be an issue.
June 14, 2009 - 10:07amThis Comment
I've had a blackberry for about 3 years. Part of my morning ritual is to wake up and, in bed for an hour, read the industry research which is emailed to me daily. It's much more convenient than spending an extra hour in my office. I also return urgent emails and shoot out important messages. However, a couple months after I got the Blackberry Storm, which is a touch screen and requires you to actually push down on the screen until it clicks fo each maneuver, I began to get an ache in my forearm. I thought maybe it was due to straining it biking so I relaxed off it a bit. But the pain ony worsened with time. It has gotten so bad that it feels like a bruise all the time, especially agrivated by movement or touch. I coincidentally have been having the same problem in my achilles tendon, preventing me from walking without limping. As I was doing some research, I discovered I have achilles tendonitis and started to look into similar site about my forearm.
I discovered this site! http://www.fastpitchpress.com/pressrelease.cfm?PRID=30189 and now it all makes sense! Apparently it has become very common for users of the blackberry to have persistent and worsening pain in their either thumb or forearm. I haven't had the thumb pain yet, but the forearm pain is nearly debilitating for blackberry use. I have been weaning myself from my office and trying to reclaim more of my life back from my workaholic tendencies, but now I've realized my best bet is to get an assistant rather than try and manage the entire workload myself. I hope some others can now identify what they've been suffering from as "blackberry syndrome" as the doctor called it, and now put a name to that nagging pain in their forearm.
I know I'll be switching to an iphone (which does not require clicking the screen) as soon as Verizon picks it up, it will be well worth getting rid of blackberry syndrome, I hope for good!
Lindsey Kinnsch
June 10, 2009 - 5:55pmThis Comment