Rolling With It

More than half of teens with smartphones say texting is their main method of communication. With more than 75 percent of all teens owning smartphones, according to Pew Research Center, it seems safe to say that texting is a firmly established trend. What’s more, by some estimates, adults spend an average of 11 hours each day using electronic media. As a result, people of all ages are experiencing physical effects that really didn’t exist 20 years ago, such as text neck and texting thumb. These physical conditions are the direct result of overuse of electronic devices or a lack of awareness while using them. The good news is that you can avoid the physical discomfort of text fatigue by making a few elemental changes.

Gamer's Thumb involves the inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath or tunnel (called the synovium) that surrounds the two tendons that control movement of the thumb. You may hear it referred to as flexor tenosynovitis, stenosing tenosynovitis, de Quervain's tenosynovitis (dih-kwer-VAINS ten-oh-sine-oh-VIE-tis), or de Quervain syndrome.

Two common stenosing tenosyonvitis diagnoses are:

• DeQuervain's Syndrome - this involves the first dorsal compartment of the wrist
• Trigger finger - this occurs when a fibrous nodule develops in the digital flexor tendon