"It's fun to watch people try to use the tiny keys and move their thumbs all
around the keyboard," says Avrum Froimson, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon at the
Cleveland Clinic, "but overuse always carries the risk of injury."
"BlackBerry Thumb" is the latest in a string of technology-related maladies
that have been plaguing professionals for two decades. It is a repetitive
stress injury, causing pain and/or numbness in the thumb and joints of the
hand, and is caused by spending too much time checking and writing emails,
instant messaging and using the Internet through a BlackBerry, a handheld
wireless personal digital assistant (PDA).
A normal computer keyboard spreads out the work of typing among eight
fingers, with the thumbs used to press the space bar. Using the BlackBerry
keyboard, the thumb is usually the only digit used to push the tiny keys and
the PDAs design only allows a limited range of movement for the thumb.
Dr. Froimson believes that BlackBerry Thumb is still relatively uncommon –
he sees just a few patients each year whose BlackBerry overuse causes
significant problems. However, he notes that as the technology becomes more
popular and more widely used, the incidence of injury may rise.
There are about 2 ½ million BlackBerry users in the United State and many
are middle-aged businessmen. For those users especially, overuse of handheld
devices may cause or aggravate arthritis in their thumbs, whereas a young
person using the device might have no trouble.
"If your thumbs are sore from logging too much time on your BlackBerry, take
a break from it," recommends Dr. Froimson.
Learning how to use the BlackBerry properly and ergonomically, and using it
only to type short messages and not as a substitute for your desktop or laptop
computer, are good preventative measures. However, if your thumbs have gone
too far, severe symptoms may be treated with cortisone shots or a splint.
"Injuries from these handheld communicators are new, but keep in mind that
it is a short message communicator. Use it for brief messages and for urgent
situations don't stay glued to it all day long."
Avoiding a BlackBerry Injury:
Remember, your BlackBerry was made for brief messaging when you're away from
your desktop or laptop don't use it all day!
Don't use your BlackBerry for more than three minutes continuously take
plenty of breaks.
Gently stretch your arms, shoulder and hands during breaks from the
BlackBerry.
around the keyboard," says Avrum Froimson, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon at the
Cleveland Clinic, "but overuse always carries the risk of injury."
"BlackBerry Thumb" is the latest in a string of technology-related maladies
that have been plaguing professionals for two decades. It is a repetitive
stress injury, causing pain and/or numbness in the thumb and joints of the
hand, and is caused by spending too much time checking and writing emails,
instant messaging and using the Internet through a BlackBerry, a handheld
wireless personal digital assistant (PDA).
A normal computer keyboard spreads out the work of typing among eight
fingers, with the thumbs used to press the space bar. Using the BlackBerry
keyboard, the thumb is usually the only digit used to push the tiny keys and
the PDAs design only allows a limited range of movement for the thumb.
Dr. Froimson believes that BlackBerry Thumb is still relatively uncommon –
he sees just a few patients each year whose BlackBerry overuse causes
significant problems. However, he notes that as the technology becomes more
popular and more widely used, the incidence of injury may rise.
There are about 2 ½ million BlackBerry users in the United State and many
are middle-aged businessmen. For those users especially, overuse of handheld
devices may cause or aggravate arthritis in their thumbs, whereas a young
person using the device might have no trouble.
"If your thumbs are sore from logging too much time on your BlackBerry, take
a break from it," recommends Dr. Froimson.
Learning how to use the BlackBerry properly and ergonomically, and using it
only to type short messages and not as a substitute for your desktop or laptop
computer, are good preventative measures. However, if your thumbs have gone
too far, severe symptoms may be treated with cortisone shots or a splint.
"Injuries from these handheld communicators are new, but keep in mind that
it is a short message communicator. Use it for brief messages and for urgent
situations don't stay glued to it all day long."
Avoiding a BlackBerry Injury:
Remember, your BlackBerry was made for brief messaging when you're away from
your desktop or laptop don't use it all day!
Don't use your BlackBerry for more than three minutes continuously take
plenty of breaks.
Gently stretch your arms, shoulder and hands during breaks from the
BlackBerry.
