Smartphone injuries may cause long-term issues to your body
- Smartphones and tablets may make life easier, but they’re not problem-free
- From your neck to your ‘pinky’ finger they can cause many injuries
- Taking selfies or resting your tablet on your lap can both be detrimental
Josh Hanrahan For Daily Mail Australia
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On a daily basis, the average person touches their phone more than 2,500 times a day.
And so it’s no wonder that while smartphones are revolutionising our lives, they’re not doing so without leaving their mark – literally.
From dents in your fingers to lingering issues with your neck, smartphones and tablets may make work and communicating easier, but they are definitely taking a toll on your body.
Selfie soreness: Extending your elbow like Kim Kardashian (pictured) when taking a selfie could actually be causing damage to the tendons and muscles throughout your arm
SELFIE ELBOW
It may be hard to believe but next time you think about taking a selfie, consider your health.
Stretching your arm out often to take that perfect snap causes an overuse injury, much like tennis elbow.
The overuse disrupts the muscles and tendons in your wrist, forearm or elbow.
SMARTPHONE PINKY
You may not notice, but so many smartphone users hold their device in the same way.
And it could be leaving a permanent mark on your little finger.
If you rest your phone on your pinky it has more likely than not created a dent along the edge of your finger between the first and second joints.
The bad news is that long term overuse of joints or fingers on devices such as phones, tablets or computers can cause osteo-arthritis as the cartilage degenerates between the joints.
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Pinky pain: A dent in between the first and second joint on your little finger is common for many people because it is a common place to sit an iPhone during use
Lingering concerns: On average, people touch their mobile phones around 2,500 times a day, so it’s little wonder we are seeing last consequences of our actions
Niggling neck: Bending your head down to look at your phone or tablet causes increased weight and strain to be placed on your spine, neck and back
IPAD NECK
Sitting at your desk and using a computer has long come with health side effects.
But while the move to tablets has made life easier in many ways, it’s not all positive.
Looking down at the tablet on your lap ‘requires significant head and neck flexion (bending) and has implications for potential neck injury to users’ a study in the journal Ergonomics found.
So what does this mean for day-to-day use?
Essentially, having your head bent over for too long can put increased pressure on your spine, neck and back, which over time can cause big issues.
The answer is to lift your tablet or phone up a bit higher during use and also to take regular screen breaks.
Texters thumb: One of the original injuries caused by using an iphone was a wearing down of the skin or tendons in your thumb caused by excessive text messaging.
TEXTERS THUMB
Ever need a sign that our reliance on our phone is too heavy – here it is.
One of the first injuries to ever occur as a result of smartphones, ‘texters thumb’ is again caused by the overuse of your finger.
An increase in stress placed on the thumb can have adverse affects on your wrist such as pain and swelling.
CANCER
Finally, some good news.
Thankfully, there are currently no signs that using your smartphone or tablet causes cancer.
According to the Better Health Channel the current belief ‘is that mobile phones don’t cause cancer or promote the accelerated growth of existing tumours’.
Phew.
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