Handling Phone-Related Hand Pain

Do your hands hurt when you use your phone? Texting and scrolling may stress your fingers. The term texting thumb describes phone-related pains caused by tired tendons and achy joints. Symptoms include stiffness, throbbing near the knuckle, and a clicking sensation when bending the thumb. Without treatment, these issues could develop into more serious conditions like carpal tunnel and arthritis.

People have used devices for decades, facing warnings about overuse injuries, such as BlackBerry thumb. Today, smartphones are larger and heavier, altering how we use them. Besides talking and texting, many engage in extended doomscrolling, pay bills, and watch full-length movies and TV shows.

“Mobile devices are here to stay,” said Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy from the University of Kentucky HealthCare Hand Center. Rather than avoiding devices, we should focus on making them fit modern life. This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet, and mental health.

Prevent Texter’s Thumb: Change Your Posture

Holding wrists and elbows in the same position for long periods can cause soreness in areas like the base of the thumb or wrist. Holding phones upright too long can also tire other fingers. O’Shaughnessy noted that people notice painful effects less when on vacation, away from their devices. To reduce pain, limit phone time or take short breaks between scrolling sessions. If breaks are challenging, change postures, switch hands, or use different fingers for typing.

Devices offer built-in accessibility features to reduce thumb overuse. Consider using the voice-to-text feature and enlarging text size to avoid holding the phone too close. Accessories like circle and ring grips attach to the back of phones, distributing weight across the hand. They can also act as stands for watching videos.

Stretching for Relief

If your hands throb after screen time, stretch them daily. Flex the wrist by tilting your palm toward and away from you, pulling and pushing with the other hand. O’Shaughnessy also suggested flexing each finger and making small circles with your thumbs.

For pain at the base of the thumb, place your hand on a flat surface and pull the thumb away from the fingers, holding for 30 seconds. If aches, numbness, or tingling persist, consult a doctor. Conditions include thumb arthritis, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel, and trigger thumb, which results in painful thumb catching due to an inflamed tendon.

It is easy to fall into constant scrolling and swiping. Taking intentional breaks to adjust posture helps. “Our hands are not designed to use phones all day,” said Dr. Eugene Tsai, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. “To use phones, we must 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. AP is solely responsible for all content.