Is too much texting dangerous...

  

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Do you over-text?   Will your thumb, hand, arm and neck suffer due to the “must send” messages that you type on the tiny keypad of your phone daily?    Orthopaedic hand surgeon David Edelstein claims that avid texting may cause pain not only to your thumbs, but also to your hand, arm and neck.

Because of the nonstop usage of phones, laptops and handheld gaming devices, repetitive stress injuries are more common than ever.   In the predigital age, people took breaks from typing; nowadays people don’t stop typing (or texting).  People are on the computer all day at work, text at their lunch break, and go online at home.   Excessive texting and typing can lead to pain in hands (especially the thumbs), arms, shoulders and neck.

To prevent pain from texting, Dr. Edelstein recommends:

• Avoid sitting in the same position for extended periods.
• Get up and take breaks.
• Pay attention to posture. When seated at a desk, your monitor should be at eye level, your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle, your knees should be bent at 90 degrees and your feet should rest on the floor.
• Many people hunch over when texting because they're trying to see the tiny keyboard. To keep from putting added pressure on your neck and upper back, rest the mobile device on your desk and lean against the chair's backrest.
• Use both thumbs and give your thumbs a break when typing long messages.
• If you experience soreness, stop texting. Anti-inflammatory medications such as Advil or Motrin can also help.

Dr. David Edelstein

Upper Extremity Surgeon

Tel: 718-283-8927

Dr. David M. Edelstein specializes in orthopaedic surgery of the hand and upper extremity and treats arthritis, broken bones, congenital hand problems, tendon injuries, and pain in hands, wrists, or elbows. Having graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Edelstein completed his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at Maimonides Medical Center and his Fellowship in Hand Surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Because of Dr. Edelstein’s expertise, he was quoted by Forbes and MSN in articles about text messaging.