When you think of physiotherapy, you may think of traditional ailments: a sore back after a car accident, or an athlete recovering from a torn ACL. While we do commonly treat these conditions, we also care for patients suffering from more “modern” injuries. With the advent of technology and computer-dependent careers, more and more people experience injuries such as ‘tech neck’ and ‘text thumb’.
Despite the catchy names, these are real injuries that have an impact on a person’s health and should be treated to prevent further pain and injury.
Tech Neck
Tech neck is most often caused by poor posture when looking at a computer screen. It also occurs when excessive amounts of time are spent staring down at a phone or tablet. Those suffering from tech neck may experience generalized pain in their shoulders and back, lack of mobility and stiffness, and even eye pain and headaches, all caused by the unnatural way we sit when we look at our devices. You can prevent tech neck by monitoring your posture, and taking frequent stretch breaks when working at a computer. If you think you have tech neck, consult a physiotherapist so that you can learn proper stretching and strengthening techniques to correct your posture.
Text Thumb
Text thumb is brought on by excessive scrolling, holding and– you guessed it!-- texting on a phone or tablet. This is an increasingly common form of repetitive strain injuries, where a motion that wouldn’t necessarily be harmful causes harm with repetition. Often the habit of trying to hold your phone and text using one hand puts an unusual stress on the tendons in the thumb. If you’re suffering from text thumb, your thumb and the surrounding joints may feel stiff and swollen. You may experience intense pain when making a fist, especially pain localised in the area of your thumb. If you’re looking to avoid text thumb, in addition to reducing your screen time, consider sending voice-to-text messages and using your index finger to scroll to avoid excessive strain on your thumbs.
Proper posture and responsible use of devices prevent most of these issues, but make sure to seek care if you feel that you’re beginning to experience one or both of these.
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