Smartphone Overuse: How Your Thumb and Fingers are Affected and What You Can Do to Prevent Injury

Continuous use of smartphones with repetitive movements can lead to pain in the thumb and little finger, as well as damage to the wrist joint. Dr. Huynh Hoang Anh from the Department of Rehabilitation at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City warns that positions such as bending the wrist, using the little finger as support, and gliding with the thumb while using smartphones can cause bone and joint problems in the hands.

The thumb is particularly affected by the repetitive movements of smartphone use, such as scrolling and texting, which can lead to fatigue and tendon damage. This can result in pain when bending or stretching the fingers, stiffness, and trigger finger, a condition where the tendon sheath becomes inflamed. Similarly, using the little finger as a support while holding the phone can strain the ligaments in the hand, causing numbness, pain, stiffness, and joint sounds when moving the fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can also occur from the bent position of the wrist while holding the phone for extended periods, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain in