BlackBerry Thumb, the iPad shoulder or the Wii Elbow are just some of the new age complains that come courtesy of a high-tech lifestyle
Dubai-based Kaushal Bakshi calls himself a tech addict; he carries two BlackBerry phones, with a combined contacts list on both Messengers alone surpassing 200 people.
A business development manager by profession, Bakshi admits he spends up to 13 hours daily on his two phones "at five-minute intervals",which, incidentally, does not include the time spent on his iPad or his laptop.
The stiffness and dull throb in Bakshi's shoulder blades all point to signs of a condition now referred to as a 'Tech Neck'.
Dubai-based chiropractor Dr Gary Fitzgerald explains: "There is a direct correlation between commonly used tech devices and nagging health issues.
"There have been many international studies conducted on these new age health problems that people are facing today and conditions such as the'Tech Neck' or the 'BlackBerry Thumb' are glaring examples of this.
"Users don't realise that it's sometimes the small things that become the bad habits."
Symptoms can range from numbness in the thumb or muscular aches that lead to inflammation in your tendons, or the structure that connects your muscles to the bones.
Dr Fitzgerald further explains: "These symptoms are signs of an RSI or Repetitive Strain Injury, which are more common in the upper bodies of those leading sedentary lifestyles, with an overuse of technology in our daily lives."
For people like Bakshi, whose work and social life revolve around their desktops, mouse clicks, BlackBerry texting, maintaining the iPad posture of slouching, all lead up to RSI injuries in the long run.
"It's a two-step process really: when you are a first time user, your muscles are too stiff to respond to the RSI, causing pain; the second is when you are bordering on addiction of technology that all causes RSI symptoms," the doctor explained.
"All I can advice to my patients is listen to your body before the small things turn into big issues. Prevention is always better than cure," he said.
So what are some these new age aches and pains that tech users are suffering from today? Emirates 24|7 takes a look:
BlackBerry Thumb
If you're prone to typing 40 words a minute on your trusty BlackBerry, over eight hours a day, chances are, the fingers would soon be protesting in pain.
Say hello to the BlackBerry Thumb, a condition that can cause stiffness in your hands and put a strain on your muscles, which, if neglected, can possibly lead to tendonitis in future.
Experts say that the thumb is not the most dexterous part of the hand, and when strained to repetitively strike keys with force, can cause a lot of strain to the muscle wall.
Long term usage can further aggravate pre existing conditions, such as arthritis.
The other is de Quervain's tenosynovitis, whereby the tendons on the side of the wrist right where the forearm joins the wrist can get inflamed and cause stabbing pain.
iPad Shoulder
A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2011, saw 15 people asked to use an iPad in a number of different ways, including with and without a case for support.
In the days that followed, the volunteers attempted a variety of postures, including using the iPad without a case, balanced on the lap, and another with a case, propped up on a table.
Researchers measured the users' head and neck movements, with the study revealing that tablets held in the lap or propped up less caused greater head and neck bending, thus leading to neck and shoulder pains.
The study also warned that propping up a tablet too steeply could even put strain on a user's wrists and hands.
Mouse wrist
Working dedicatedly at your office computer for hours daily can prove injurious for your health after a while.
Such was the case for Maria Lim, who works as a secretary in Dubai Media City.
"It started with stiffness in my wrist and a dull pain. But I simply put it down to heavy grocery bags I had carried a day earlier," she said. "However, over the weeks, the pain increased in my wrist to an extent that the mere motion of moving the mouse at my computer would have pain shooting up my arm."
Lim finally consulted with a chiropractor, who diagnosed her with RSI of the wrist, aggravated by daily use of the mouse.
Dr Fitzgerald advised that taking frequent breaks between work takes the pressure of your muscles and stiffness.
Wii elbow
Similar to a tennis elbow, if your child is complaining of a constant sore or an ache on the outer side of his upper elbow, chances are he's suffering from Wii Syndrome.
Ninetendo's super cool Wii console usually finds itself under the Christmas tree at least one holiday, all wrapped up and pretty for the kids to play.
But too much of it can be a bad thing, as Dr Fitzgerald adds: "It is shocking to see the symptoms of tennis elbow now in younger and younger
children. Moderation is key here."
An elbow brace simply exercises should help with the symptoms, along with limiting time spent on the Wii console.
Tech neck
Similar to the iPad shoulder, the Tech neck can also be aggravated when nestling your phone in the crook of your shoulder and neck, while your hands are busy doing other things.
Shanti Mehta, a mother of two children who works in finance says: "In between juggling work and calls from the kids, by the time I wrap up at the end of the day, my neck cries out in protest.
"But what can you do? Both are necessary essentials of life today."
© Emirates 24|7 2013
