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Tip: Use two hands for your smartphone to avoid injury
The allure of the smartphone is the ability to use it with one hand (typing with your thumb) while out and about, multitasking, holding a shopping bag, a work bag, a baby, etc. However, this also creates unnecessary stress and strain on your tendons, ligaments, and joints—contributing to pain, numbness and tingling. Putting your thumb in such an awkward position repetitively over time can eventually lead to tendonitis and arthritis.
The convenience of one hand use is simply not worth it in the end! Forget about convenience and think of your health instead. So start holding the smartphone in one hand and with the other hand alternate between thumb and index finger when typing responses to texts, creating messages, or browsing the web.
I recently upgraded my smartphone to one of the larger industry sizes (iPhone 6 Plus). At first I wasn’t happy with the large size, but I realized later that the size of the device was forcing me to use two hands to operate it. This was an unintended benefit and has eliminated any pain I was experiencing!
Yours in health,
Jenn
Take Ergonomic “Microbreaks”
Working often places people in awkward postures throughout the day. Maintaining these postures and compressions can impede flow of blood, impinge nerves, and injure your soft tissue.
When typing or operating machinery it is critical to take “microbreaks”. For every 30 minutes of work, try to rest for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Don’t work through the pain even if it’s only for a little bit. Anytime you start to feel pain, your body is trying to tell you something, so listen to it! ! Taking a short break for even a few seconds here and there can benefit you greatly in the long run, and help you to avoid getting carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or even arthritis.
Yours in health,
Jenn
Grasp Hand Therapy 