Blackberry thumb

Overuse of the thumb to operate a mobile device may lead to Blackberry thumb

Blackberry thumb is a form of repetitive strain injury caused by the frequent use of the thumb(s) to press buttons on PDAs, smart phones, or other mobile devices. The name of the condition comes from the BlackBerry, a popular brand of smartphones that debuted in 1999.

Blackberry thumb occurs in persons who repeatedly use these devices for activities like texting, sending emails, or web browsing. It is caused by the fact that the thumb does not have the dexterity that the other four fingers have, and is especially common in those who use these devices for such activities at high speeds comparable that of touch typing. These injuries do not occur to users of regular computer keyboards because the other four fingers are mostly used for typing.

Blackberry thumb can be a debilitating condition, which can impair the ability of the hands to engage in other common activities.

Symptoms of Blackberry thumb include aching and throbbing pain in the thumb or sometimes other fingers and in the wrist.

Prevention

Given the way mobile devices are constructed, particularly their small size, most users find it easiest and most tempting to use their thumbs to press the keys.

Experts recommend that Blackberry thumb can be prevented by use of other fingers to press buttons on handheld devices, and to vary which fingers are being used. They also discourage owners of these devices not to use them for lengthy typing tasks, such as "writing books."

Cure

The recovery process from Blackberry thumb can be lengthy, and may involve curtailing or altogether eliminating such use of a mobile device. In some extreme cases, surgery may be necessary. Current surgical alternatives include a tendon transfer whereby one of the bones at the base of the thumb is removed and a tendon coiled tendon is put in its place as a cushion. A newer alternative treatment is autologous mesenchymal stem cell transplant for cartilage growth within the joint[1]. This treatment is done percutaneously (through a needle) in an attempt to avoid open surgery. Some spas offer massages as a method of cure.