Smartphone Fingers

Your pinky and thumb are the fingers most impacted when holding a smartphone, tablet, or video game controller. “As of 2019, the Pew Research Center estimates that 81 percent of Americans own smartphones.” Your fingers and thumb can become inflamed and cramp up if you spend too much time gripping your cell phone. This condition is known as “smartphone fingers.” Other names you may be familiar with are texting tendinitis, texting thumb or gamer’s thumb. 

Symptoms of smartphone fingers may include:

• Numbness or tingling
• A clicking sound when bending fingers
• Inflammation
• Stiffness
• Pain
• Weakness
• Difficulty moving your fingers

Repetitive movement of the arms, fingers, neck and elbows can cause structural changes to the joints, muscles, tendons and can cause straining of the eyes. At home remedies may be recommended by your doctor to help lower your risk of smartphone fingers. It is important to limit your usage time, use different fingers, use hand free features, and take breaks. 

Physical therapy can help stretch and provide strengthening exercises for your fingers to keep your muscles and tendons flexible. Your physical therapist may recommend performing daily exercises such as bending and strengthening your wrists or extending your elbows. Heat may be applied to relax the sore muscles and cold may be applied to calm more acute muscle spasms. Massage therapy can help to increase the blood flow and relieve tight muscles.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above before or after you use your phone it may be time to get professional help. Reddy Care Physical, Occupational and Aquatic Therapy can help. Reddy Care physical therapists are movement experts and will assess your condition to create a unique treatment plan to help get you back to being pain free.

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In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy (Home Care): 516-829-0030 

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Sources: CSOG, HealthLine, 

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Written by:

Dr. Vinod Somareddy, PT, DPT

President

Reddy Care Physical Therapy

Reddy Care Occupational Therapy

Reddy Care Aquatic Therapy

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.