Moderation pretty much applies to everything we do — even texting. Believe it or not, the average teen texts 2,000 times a month — that’s 67 text messages per day. This trend lays the foundation for technology’s latest ailment — texting tendinitis. With all these thumbs in constant motion, physicians are saying this is causing injuries.
Symptoms include back and neck pain, thumb numbness, hand pain, elbow pain and acute inflammation of one of the forearm tendons — primarily the thumb tendon. Back pain is caused by poor posture while texting.
Doctors state that most teens and their parents have no idea how much teens are really texting or that they are texting for up to two hours per day. A doctor in Australia is recommending phone manufacturers to place warnings with their products about the risks of overuse.
Teens diagnosed with TTT or ‘texting teen tendinitis’ today could be looking at arthritis or thumb joint replacement surgeries in their 40s and 50s. And not just teens — this could apply to anyone who overuses their Blackberry for business or personal communication.
Prevention recommendations include limiting text messages to 50 per day, maintaining good posture (no slouching), doing hand exercises to build up muscles and using touch screen phones versus keyboard phones.
photo by: zawezome
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
