CELL PHONE INJURIES

Patient Resource Guide

Who would have ever imagined that cell phones could cause injury!?

As physiotherapists have introduced a new range of ailments, sometimes referred to as i-injuries, tech neck and texting thumb. Commonly, we see patients with numbness and pain in their wrists, thumbs and elbows. Neck pain is also common from frequently looking down at your phone which creates huge stress on the structures of the neck. Wrist and thumb tendonitis, nerve compression and irritation are also cell phone injuries.

Check out these tips to avoid falling victim to these types of injuries:

Use both hands to text or put the phone down on a hard surface while texting, instead of using one hand.
Use the pad of your thumb instead of the tip to avoid awkward positioning of the thumb.
Keep your wrists straight and in a neutral position to reduce the strain on your wrists, fingers and thumbs.
Watch your posture, keep a straight back and raise/support the phone so you do not have to look down or hunch over to use it.
Alternate between using your thumbs and other fingers to type.
Avoid cradling the phone with your neck and shoulder.
Be conscious of the time you spend on your phone. Reduce it if possible and/or take breaks!