6 Ways to Avoid and Manage Smartphone Overuse Injuries

Smartphone use has dramatically increased, and many now use these devices in their careers and for other daily tasks. Research indicates that in 2021 about 3.8 billion people use smartphones worldwide. Plus, the top 20% of users spend more than four and a half hours on their devices every day. To be honest, we use our smartphones for just about everything, and there’s no getting away from it. Mobile technology continues to evolve and, on many occasions, started displacing other devices like cameras and computers. 

Even though this continuous growth in technology is hugely beneficial to boost our productivity and make our lives easier, it does come with some detrimental challenges that we need to manage. One of these challenges is overuse injuries. This article will share the most common smartphone overuse injuries and tips to avoid these injuries. 

The 4 most common smartphone overuse injuries

1) Text neck

Flexing your head forward when using your smartphone directly affects your spine. Studies discovered that looking down at your mobile device, at about 60 degrees, places up to 60 pounds of pressure through your spine. 

The most common symptoms include:

• Neck pain,

• Headaches, and

• Stiffness.

The neck pain is usually located at the lower part of the neck and can be described as a dull, aching, or sharp stabbing pain. In some instances, the pain may also radiate down the arm.

This primarily occurs due to the static load applied through the spinal joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons while keeping your neck flexed forward. The stabilizing muscles start to fatigue, increasing the stress applied through the ligaments, tendons, joints, and vertebral discs. Over time, this triggers degenerative changes and overuse injury to the structures involved.

2) Text claw

Text claw is a broad non-medical term that refers to various medical conditions that present with similar symptoms. Some of these medical conditions include cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Common symptoms include:

• Cramping in the finger - and palmar muscles.

• Muscle aches in the finger - and palmar muscles.

• Pins and needles in the hand and fingers.

This presentation typically occurs due to repetitive motions, leading to inflammation of tendons and surrounding structures. This inflammation then causes compression of neural structures, causing pain, pins and needles, as well as decreased function.

3) Cellphone elbow

Elbow injuries resulting from smartphone overuse include lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and cubital tunnel syndrome. Both of these conditions present with the following symptoms:

• Pain and cramping in the forearm muscles around the elbows.

• Pins and needles referring down to the ring and little finger.

Tennis elbow results from overuse repetitive motions causing muscle strain, tendon inflammation, and tiny tears. When it comes to cubital tunnel syndrome, you probably realized that it also presented beneath ‘text claw’. However, even though cubital tunnel syndrome often presents with symptoms in the hand, leading to text claw, it also presents with symptoms around the elbow. This is because the cubital tunnel is located on the elbow’s outside surface, where the ulnar nerve runs through and continues down to the hand. Therefore, due to the location of the cubital tunnel and the ulnar nerve, it may present with symptoms in the hand and the elbow.

4) Swiper’s thumb

Lastly, another overuse injury resulting from smartphone use is the ‘swiper’s thumb’. This is essentially a type of tendinitis called De Quervain's tenosynovitis and refers to inflammation of the tendons that assist with sideways movements of the thumb.

Symptoms include:

• Pain and swelling at the base of the thumb.

• Difficulty moving the thumb with a ‘stop-and-go’ sensation.

Now, that you have a better idea of the various overuse injuries that may emerge from smartphone use, let’s look at some simple things you can change to avoid them.

6 Tips to avoid smartphone overuse injuries

Try the following tips to avoid overuse injuries from your smartphone.

1) Frequent change in positions

• Switch from using your thumb to using your fingers when texting.

• Place phone on a stable surface.

2) Don’t flex or extend your writs when using your smartphone. Instead, place it in a neutral and relaxed position.

3) Try to position your phone at your chest, chin, or eye level to minimize the bend in your neck and maintain optimal spinal posture.

4) Limit your device use to 20-minute sessions. Take a short break in between these sessions.

5) During the break, perform arm, wrist, and neck stretches to loosen your muscles.

6) Seek treatment as soon as symptoms arise. The earlier you receive medical advice, the better, so consult your physician or physical therapist if you experience any of the symptoms shared above.

Many of us use our smartphones for essential purposes, whether for work, running a business, or merely staying in contact with family and friends. There’s simply no getting away. Still, we must make certain changes and adaptations to avoid these detrimental complications. After all, these complications can make your day-to-day life miserable and punishing if not addressed.

If you struggle with one or more of these complications, it is essential to communicate with a healthcare professional to start therapy before it gets any worse. Physical and occupational therapy, as well as Ergonomic services can significantly help maintain proper posture and mechanics while using your smartphone, as well as improve mobility, relieve pain, and tips to prevent these complications from exacerbating or occurring in the future.