Anyone who sits on their mobile phone for long and often typing diligently should probably know: the wrist hurts or at least an uncomfortable pulling sensation can be felt, which is particularly noticeable in the resting phase. What is also known as WhatsApp Disease is ultimately nothing more than an overexertion of the thumb area, which affects not only the thumb itself but also the elbows and finger joints.
The regular, spread thumb movement that is common when typing on a mobile phone can lead to wear and tear or tendinitis in the thumb area in the long run. If you also suffer from the initial symptoms, you should act quickly and carefully.
How is a cell phone thumb made?
Young people under the age of 30 in particular suffer from overload in the thumb area. No wonder, because it is precisely this target group that uses the cell phone for several hours a day and is busy pressing, scrolling or typing. While the cell phone is usually held with two hands, the thumb is repeatedly stretched towards the display and back. The larger the display, the more strenuous the movement becomes for the thumb. After all, the constant spreading and stretching is not a natural function of the thumb, which is normally used for grasping. The frequent stretching and spreading movements can lead to overexertion of the thumb, which is accompanied by painful symptoms in the wrist area. In the worst case, this overload can lead to chronic wear and tear, which should be avoided in good time.
What can be done against the cell phone thumb?
In the event of initial pain, it is important to act quickly so that there is no wear and tear, which can be quite restrictive in everyday life. If the overload becomes excessive, those affected can no longer carry out simple, everyday things. Even buttoning clothes or lacing up shoes can become a challenge that can be accompanied by severe pain. To prevent this from occurring, it is essential that you protect your tendons before the entire wrist is affected. This means that mobile phone users who write a lot of messages and have a large mobile phone display should make sure to take breaks from typing. During these rest phases, you can stretch the forearm a little or massage the area around the thumb a little to loosen up the joints and tendons. Typing with both hands can also prevent the cell phone thumb. So instead of typing with just one thumb, you can get used to typing with two thumbs to better distribute the load and avoid overstretching.
If you already suspect a tendinitis of the thumb because you are feeling noticeable pain, it is best to consult a physiotherapist or a doctor. This will advise you to avoid typing if possible. So protecting and relaxing the thumb is always the top priority.
As part of a physical therapy In addition, special exercises can help to relieve the connective tissue and muscles of stress. Also can Kinesio taping drive the healing process forward. If it is attached to the thumb saddle joint, the overloaded thumb muscle is supported and stabilized. Furthermore, relaxation exercises can bring the thumb back to its relaxed state.
Pay attention to the signals on your wrist and you will find that it is very easy to protect your wrist and your thumb. With a few breaks, you won’t even get a cell phone thumb and you can use the cell phone without hesitation.