BENGALURU: Fifteen-year-old Siddhanth, studying in 10th standard, has to write his board exams next month. But he is struggling to even hold his pen. Reason: Tenderness and pain in his thumb. Doctors say this is a classic case of  ‘Smartphone Thumb’, a condition in which the child is unable to fully use the thumb. It was a condition that used to be seen only in factory workers and bank cashiers. 

The condition is medically known as ‘tendinitis’, an inflammation or irritation of a tendon, a thick cord that attaches bone with muscle. “We have been getting at least one case every two weeks, especially increasing in the past few months where children and young adults are finding it difficult to hold their pens,” said Dr Kannan K Kumar, Hand Surgeon at HOSMAT Hospital.

With exams fast approaching, and where the child is expected to write for three hours, parents are rushing to doctors, unable to understand what exactly is happening with their children as the latter complain of severe pain in their wrist and tenderness in their thumb when they hold a pen to write. 

Shambavi Gupta, mother of a Class 9 student from Mysuru, said: “My daughter kept telling me that her hand was hurting and was unable to even hold the pen. Also the skin around the thumb has become numb.” 

Parents worried about numb thumb

The girl had to see a doctor. Orthopaedic experts checked on her mobile phone usage and realised this was due to overuse of phone.“Worried parents come to us unable to understand why their children are struggling to write and are complaining about holding pens. Preparatory exams are becoming dreadful they say and are worried about finals,” said Dr K Nataraj, Orthopaedic surgeon at Shanti Hospital.

Doctors say in adults above 35 years, overuse of smartphones can lead to osteoarthritis. Reason behind this, according to Dr Ravi P, an orthopedic surgeon, is that motions people’s thumbs make while holding a smartphone are awkward. Abnormal motion of bones in the thumb could cause onset of pain and eventual osteoarthritis.

The problem being widespread, there are measures people can take to prevent Smartphone Thumb. For example, smartphone users, especially children, can give their thumbs a break by switching to using another finger, such as the forefinger, for typing. Users can also use voice control features to dictate messages and emails instead of typing, explained Dr Kannan.

HANDWRITING GOES FOR A TOSS
Handwriting experts say that overuse of smartphones and texting is affecting children’s handwriting. “Smartphones are small. They are not ergonomically designed to be doing repetitive actions for protracted periods of time. The movements that one’s thumbs have to make while texting require force, and this abnormal thumb bone movement could cause pain, besides the children’s handwriting going for a toss, or posing writing difficulties,” explained Neetu P, a handwriting expert.

HOW TO AVOID
Daily wrist, finger exercises
Parents can set limits to use the phone
Use good posture whatever the activity
Take frequent breaks from texting. Break into shorter sessions
Avoid keeping your wrists in bent position for long periods of time