August
2007
BEWARE OF BLACKBERRY THUMB!
To stay connected with work 24/7, many people constantly
check their personal digital assistants (or PDAs) such as
BlackBerries. Using these devices over a long period of time
can lead to repetitive motion injuries.
The problem occurs when gripping the PDA on the palm of
the hand between the four fingers and the fatty pad below
the thumb, and using the thumb of the same hand to type on
the tiny keypad. This can aggravate arthritis and lead to
tendonitis of the thumb and other ailments.
The American Physical Therapy Association offers these tips
for preventing injury:
- Take frequent breaks from your PDA. Don’t type
for more than a few minutes at a time.
- Write fewer and shorter
messages; abbreviate your responses.
- Avoid using the thumb
for typing; use the fingers of your other hand instead.
- Stretch the fingers periodically, holding the stretch
for 10 seconds, and then repeating it eight times.
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