One Tech Tip: How to soothe thumb pain when texting and scrolling

A person uses a smart phone in Chicago, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo)

NEW YORK — Do your hands hurt when you use your phone? All that texting and scrolling might be stressing out your fingers.

The term texting thumb can describe a wide range of phone-related pains caused by tired-out tendons and achy joints — like general stiffness, throbbing near the knuckle and a clicking sensation when bending the thumb. If left untreated, repetitive typing and swiping can lead to more serious issues like carpal tunnel and arthritis.

People have pecked away at devices for decades with warnings about overuse injuries — think BlackBerry thumb. Today’s smartphones have gotten larger and heavier, and the way we use them has also shifted: Beyond talking and texting, it’s common to doomscroll for hours, pay medical bills and even watch full-length movies and TV shows.

“Mobile devices are here to stay. So rather than saying ‘you can’t be on your device,’ we really just need to learn and think about ways to make the devices compatible with modern life,” said Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy with the University of Kentucky HealthCare Hand Center.

To avoid texter’s thumb, switch up your posture

Locking wrists and elbows in the same position for hours can lead to soreness in places like the base of the thumb or wrist. Holding phones upright for long periods can also tire other fingers.

O’Shaughnessy said people tend to realize the painful effects when they’re not on their device as much, such as being on vacation. That is when phone-related irritation or dull aches go away.

The simplest way to ease this pain is to go touch grass — that is, limit phone time or take short breaks in between scrolling spurts. But that’s easier said than done. If a detox feels difficult, try to mix up postures, switch hands to type and use the index or other fingers.

Built-in accessibility features can also minimize thumb overuse. Try sending messages using the voice-to-text feature and enlarge the text size so you don’t have to hold the phone so close.

There are also circle and ring-shaped grip accessories that attach to the back of the phone and more evenly distribute the weight across the hand. They can also double as a stand to prop up your phone to watch videos and TV.

Simple thumb and wrist stretches can offer relief

If your hands are throbbing after a long day of screen time, stretch them out daily. Flex the wrist by tilting your palm toward and away from you, pulling and pushing down with the other hand. O’Shaughnessy also recommended flexing each of the fingers and making small circles with your thumbs.

For pain at the base of the thumb, you can place your hand on a flat surface and pull the thumb away from the other fingers, holding that for about 30 seconds.

If the aches, numbing or tingling persist even after limiting screen time and using remedies like ibuprofen or ice, see a doctor to see if it could be something more serious.

Constant phone use can exacerbate thumb arthritis or cause De Quervain’s tenosynovitis — sharp pain or swelling at the base of the thumb and wrist. It can also lead to carpal tunnel, caused by a pinched nerve. Trigger thumb, a painful catching in the thumb when you bend it, is caused by an inflamed tendon.

It’s easy to get trapped in an endless cycle of scrolling and swiping. Taking a quick, intentional break to adjust posture can still make a difference.

“Our hands were not designed to use phones all day long,” said Dr. Eugene Tsai, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. “In order for us to use the phones, we have to be kind to our hands.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Adithi Ramakrishnan, The Associated Press