Trendy New Injuries and How to Avoid Them

Stop clicking I don’t have to ask, I’m sure many of you have complained more than once about what the pc or laptop does to you – back pain, neck pain or some other inconvenient.

But, apart from the before mentioned devices, there are other gadgets which cause all kinds of issues.

1. Blackberry thumb

Don’t think you can get away if you don’t actually own a Blackberry. It’s just a generic name for the stress you’re putting on your thumb when texting too much and too often. Although some doctors say they haven’t encountered this new malady (yet), others say that the Blackberry thumb is real. It is caused by the fact that the thumb was not designed to do precise or delicate tasks – these should be usually performed by our other fingers. The thumb lacks dexterity and when used for too much texting, strain appears and pain with it.

What to do? Stop texting so much and try this exercise: open your hand and stretch your fingers as much as you can. This will relieve your thumb and help local blood flow.

2. Laptop slouch

Hmmm…I personally know about this and I bet you are no strangers to it. Laptops are great, but we have to remember not to overdo it. On more than one occasion I found myself leaning too close to the screen, or using the keyboard in unnatural positions. This led to shoulder pain and wrist injury.

Physicians say that injuries caused by laptops are very common now, and mainly caused by poor posture, due to slouching and to not sitting up straight.

Is there some remedy? I know we can’t give up our laptops, so what I got accustomed to doing is sitting up as often as possible, stretching a little and pulling back my shoulders. This usually relieves my back and does wonders for my wrists.

3. Wiiitis

This is somewhat similar to Nintendinitis. It consists of intense pain in the right shoulder and is caused by the repeated movements required for playing with Wii devices. On the other hand, Nintendinitis is characterized by pain in our thumb muscles. Doctors claim that very young children develop these conditions, and they may pose a threat to their adult health.

What can you do? Apart from leaving that Wii from your hand and getting out more, you can also try stretching. Stretch your forearms and work your wrists, as this will also help your shoulders and elbows.

One last thought: remember to work out! Whether it’s some sport, gym practice or just walking, alternate them with the use of modern technology. This is definitely the answer to not becoming the slave of the latter.

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