Make Tech Easier - Friday, September 6, 2019 at 8:25 PM
8 Ways to Prevent Wrist and Neck Joint Pain from Long Phone Use
Today people spend hours holding up their smartphones and keeping their necks
bent at uncomfortable angles. This has led to people complaining of pain in
their hands, wrists, and neck in record numbers. Here are eight tips to avoid
having this type of joint pain.
1. Stretching Exercises
Take breaks from holding your smartphone and perform stretching exercises with
your neck, wrists, and fingers at regular intervals. Some basic exercises you
can perform are:
* Lay your palm flat on a table and slowly pull one finger up using your
other hand, bending the finger back as much as possible. Repeat the process for
every finger.
* Place your palms against each other in a praying pose. Apply downward
pressure with your hands, palms still pressed together until you feel a
stretch. Hold the pose for a few seconds and repeat three times.
* Slowly turn your head left and right and up and down. Rotate your head in
a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. Repeat the process for at least five
minutes, taking pauses after every turn.
* Get a stress ball and squeeze it gently a dozen times.
* Fan your fingers out until they are stretched and as far apart from each
other as possible. Repeat the movement ten times.
Related: 6 Tools and Habits to Prevent Repetitive Strain
Injury<https://www.maketecheasier.com/prevent-repetitive-strain-injury/>
2. Use Both Fingers for Typing
Most of us fall into the habit of typing exclusively with our dominant hand on
our smartphone. This does not do any favors to the thumb of that hand, which
often does most of the typing. The resulting thumb pain is known as “texting
thumb”.
This condition can be avoided if you use both hands while typing. This way both
your thumbs will be able to share in the task of typing. You can also switch to
using a stylus and give your thumbs a rest.
3. Use the Swipe-Typing Feature
You can type using the “swiping” feature of many digital keyboards. This method
of typing takes some getting used to but is much quicker and does not put as
much stress on your fingers as regular typing.
Gboard<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.inputmethod.latin>
and
Swiftkey<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtype.swiftkey&hl=en_IN>
are a few excellent swiping-keyboard apps.
4. Employ Speech-to-Text
Most smartphones nowadays come with extremely useful but often underused
speech-to-text<https://www.maketecheasier.com/speech-to-text-apps-android/>
options. This facility employs the Smartphone’s AI, which listens to your
commands and turns them into action. For example, you can dictate a message,
and the AI will turn it into a text message. Or you can issue verbal commands
to your phone to select an option on the screen, open an app, search for a
subject online, etc.
5. Type More Efficiently
The older generation might complain about the Internet teaching bad writing
skills, but using emojis, abbreviations, and shorter sentences is a good way to
minimize the amount of time you spend typing on your phone and avoid hand
soreness or injury.
6. Use Ice Packs
Hand injury due to excessive mobile use develops over time. One of the first
symptoms is when your hand becomes inflamed and starts throbbing. You must
address the problem right then by placing an ice pack on the inflamed area.
Keep the ice pack on the swollen area until the swelling and redness is
reduced, then give your hand a rest for a few days before starting to type
again.
Related: How to Prevent Eye Strain from
Monitors<https://www.maketecheasier.com/prevent-eye-strain-from-monitors/>
7. Use Speakerphone or Earphones
Talking on your smartphone for hours can result in neck cramps. Instead, make
use of the speakerphone option so you don’t need to have your phone pressed up
against your ear and your neck bent at an awkward angle for long periods.
If you are concerned about someone overhearing you, use earphones. You will be
able to hear the caller more clearly in addition to giving your neck a rest.
8. Use Proper Video-Viewing Position
Online binging on Internet videos is the new fad, and it is playing havoc on
your body. People frequently sit propped up on an elbow or lying back with
their necks raised up while watching successive videos and become so engrossed
that they stay in that uncomfortable position until it becomes noticeably
painful.
If you’re binging, make sure you’re doing so while sitting in a proper
position. Also, take breaks and just walk around for a bit if you have been in
one position for too long to get your blood circulation going again.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best result will be gained if you cut down on the time spent on
your smartphone altogether. The greater your dependence on your smartphone, the
more toll it will take on your head, neck, and arm joints.
Image Credit: bluetooth earphone<https://www.flickr.com/photos/yto/8637043610>,
5<https://www.flickr.com/photos/rvoegtli/4921145144>
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https://www.maketecheasier.com/prevent-wrist-neck-joint-pain-from-long-phone-use/
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info<http://WWW.DavidGoldfield.info>
