Last updated April 12, 2019
While texting using a new or old cell phone is becoming an ever more popular method of communication, the practice also seems to be leading to an increase in injuries. Carl Tricky, a Saint John massage therapist, claims that the number of clients he has on his list who have been injured by their cell phones is only increasing.
“What we’re talking about is a repetitive strain injury and that strain is caused by overuse of the thumbs and people are seeing an impact on their life,” Tricky says. “It interferes with their ability to do a lot of things because we use our hands a lot during the day.”
The volume of text messaging has been doubling with every year that has passed since text messaging was first introduced a decade ago back in 2002, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association claims. The most recent available statistics, from the September of 2009, indicates that Canadians were then sending as many as 100 million text messages each and every day.
The thumb work involved in texting, as well as tight forearms and hunched posture ends up putting a lot of pressure on hands, Tricky says, often resulting in nerve damage, inflamed joints and severe pain for both adults and youngsters. “One of my clients had to be off work for five weeks and really just needed to rest his hands,” he notes.