BlackBerry thumb
Encyclopedia
BlackBerry thumb is a neologism that refers to a form of repetitive strain injury
caused by the frequent use of the thumbs to press buttons on PDAs, smartphone
s, or other mobile devices. The name of the condition comes from the BlackBerry
, a brand of smartphones that debuted in 1999.
Part of the rationale is that the thumb does not have the dexterity that the other four fingers have, and that it is especially common in those who use these devices for such activities at high speeds comparable to that of touch typing
.
Symptoms of BlackBerry thumb include aching and throbbing pain in the thumb or sometimes other fingers and in the wrist. Part of the syndrome of BlackBerry thumb is disability of the hands.
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 encourage owners of these devices not to use them for lengthy typing tasks, such as "writing books."
It is also important to consider that in the absence of better evidence, such speculative preventative measures risk stigmatizing hand use, which can increase illness behavior as seen in the Australian epidemic of repetitive strain injury.
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 coiled tendon is put in its place as a cushion. For more advanced cases of arthritis, the basal thumb joint can be replaced. However, recovery can be lengthy and outcomes optimal only in patients who have low activity demands on the thumb joint.
One alternative medicine treatment is prolotherapy
. Reeves has published a small randomized clinical trial showing some efficacy. Since surgery on small hand joints with severe arthritis can be traumatic with protracted recovery, newer treatments are being developed. Mesenchymal stem cell transplants offer one possible solution for cartilage replacement in damaged joints. Some spa
s offer massages as a method of cure.
Common features of activity-related pains that have not received the attention they deserve include stress, job burnout or dissatisfaction, and secondary gain (where a person benefits either directly or indirectly from being ill).
Repetitive strain injury
Repetitive strain injury is an injury of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by...
caused by the frequent use of the thumbs to press buttons on PDAs, smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s, or other mobile devices. The name of the condition comes from the BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
, a brand of smartphones that debuted in 1999.
Part of the rationale is that the thumb does not have the dexterity that the other four fingers have, and that it is especially common in those who use these devices for such activities at high speeds comparable to that of touch typing
Touch typing
Touch typing is typing without using the sense of sight to find the keys. Specifically, a touch typist will know their location on the keyboard through muscle memory. Touch typing typically involves placing the eight fingers in a horizontal row along the middle of the keyboard and having them...
.
Symptoms of BlackBerry thumb include aching and throbbing pain in the thumb or sometimes other fingers and in the wrist. Part of the syndrome of BlackBerry thumb is disability of the hands.
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 encourage owners of these devices not to use them for lengthy typing tasks, such as "writing books."
It is also important to consider that in the absence of better evidence, such speculative preventative measures risk stigmatizing hand use, which can increase illness behavior as seen in the Australian epidemic of repetitive strain injury.
Treatment
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, surgerySurgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
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 coiled tendon is put in its place as a cushion. For more advanced cases of arthritis, the basal thumb joint can be replaced. However, recovery can be lengthy and outcomes optimal only in patients who have low activity demands on the thumb joint.
One alternative medicine treatment is prolotherapy
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is also known as "proliferation therapy" or "regenerative injection therapy." involves injecting an otherwise non-pharmacological and non-active irritant solution into the body, generally in the region of tendons or ligaments for the purpose of strengthening weakened connective tissue...
. Reeves has published a small randomized clinical trial showing some efficacy. Since surgery on small hand joints with severe arthritis can be traumatic with protracted recovery, newer treatments are being developed. Mesenchymal stem cell transplants offer one possible solution for cartilage replacement in damaged joints. Some spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
s offer massages as a method of cure.
Alternative view
The primary issue seems to be a misinterpretation or an overinterpretation of the nociception (pain-related nerve signal) that can accompany arm use. Nociception can stimulate our built-in "pain alarm," alerting us to real or potential tissue damage; however, we learn to interpret and reassign these signals because most pains are false alarms. For instance, in many contexts, activity-related pain is seen as healthy: think yoga or other athletic/exercise endeavors.Common features of activity-related pains that have not received the attention they deserve include stress, job burnout or dissatisfaction, and secondary gain (where a person benefits either directly or indirectly from being ill).