We’ve all heard of Tennis Elbow and even Golfer’s Elbow, but these days you might be more at risk of developing an injury as a result of over-use of your mobile phone.
Historically, workplace accidents were often really quite severe; accidents in mills and workhouses were commonplace and often with life-changing results, but as technology has improved over the years the types of injuries most frequently presented by workers have changed. There is a range of musculoskeletal disorders and repetitive strain injuries that are suffered by those who spend long periods of time at a keyboard, or using vibrating machinery, but over the past few years as the use of mobile phones – particularly smartphones – has increased, the number of injuries associated with their use has exploded.
‘Smartphone Thumb’ as it has been dubbed, is caused by the repetitive movements made by the thumb on the screen of the phone when it is used for texting, emailing, gaming, and a range of other activities that can now be performed upon them.
Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in America have been studying the condition for over seven years and they have noticed that the way people are using their thumbs on their phones is causing damage to the tendons within the thumb, fingers and their hands.
When specific parts of the body are overused the risk of Tendonitis (the inflammation of the tendon) or Tenosynovitis (the inflammation of the synovium – the sheath within which the tendon moves) are increased significantly. Researchers say that the abnormal use of the thumbs when operating a smartphone is responsible for causing pain and potentially in the longer term, could lead to arthritis.
In 2010 Dr Kristin Zhao and her team began using an imaging technique to look at the bones of healthy people and compare them with the bones of frequent and prolonged phone-users and found an increased likelihood of Osteoarthritis; a degenerative joint disease where the cartilage cushioning within the joint breaks down leading to intense pain. One of her primary concerns was for children using smartphones from an early age and the potential damage they could be creating.
Tips to avoid the development of pain while using a phone include ensuring suitable rest periods between use, stretching out the hand and fingers to keep joints flexible, and even using the voice-control features available on many new phones to reduce finger or thumb use.
If you or someone you care for has developed an injury as a result of activities within the workplace, or activities that are considered part of your working role, you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation. Contact us today to see how we can help you get the pay-out you deserve.