Finger numbness, wrist discomfort, be careful of "cell phone hand"!

At work, we are constantly typing on the keyboard and clicking the mouse frantically. After work, we play with mobile phones, play games, and do housework... Our hands are under a lot of pressure in our lives. Over time, problems with our hands are prone to occur, such as numbness of fingers, discomfort in the wrist, and weak fingers... If you have these symptoms, then you may have fallen victim to "mobile phone hand" or "mouse hand".

Image source: Baidu Gallery

First, let’s test whether you have “mobile phone hand”?

①First, please take out the hand that you often play with your mobile phone, stretch your arm, face your palm to the left or right, and make a fist with your thumb in the fist.

②Then bend your wrists downward as far as possible and press down hard, holding for 5 seconds.

③If the pain in your hand is obvious, then you may have the problem of cell phone hand.

Image source: Baidu Gallery

The dangers of "mobile phone hands":

1. Numbness in fingers

Abnormal sensation or numbness may occur in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and radial half. This numbness is more severe at night and can be relieved after getting up and resting.

2. Hand muscle atrophy

The outermost muscles of the thenar eminence atrophy, making it impossible to oppose the fingers or palms, or to pinch objects, which will have a very serious impact.

3. Weakness of hand muscles

When holding a phone or reading a newspaper, you may feel weak or unsteady, or even unable to complete fine movements such as buttoning or threading a needle, which has a serious impact on your life. Even when holding a spatula, knitting needles, or carrying a pot, you may suddenly feel a discharge, causing things to fall accidentally, which has a relatively large impact on your life and causes a certain degree of safety problems.

Several actions to relieve hand fatigue:

1. Fingers

Open your palms as wide as possible, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, then bend your fingers, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, and repeat the above steps 5 to 8 times.

2. Wrist (I)

Stretch your arms forward with your palms facing down. First bend your wrists upward, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, then bend your wrists downward, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, and repeat the above steps 5 to 8 times.

Wrist (II)

Cross your fingers and make fists, rotate them clockwise and counterclockwise 10 times each, and repeat the above movements 5 to 8 times.

4. Forearm

Straighten your forearms and slowly rotate them outwards, hold for 8 to 10 seconds, then relax your arms and repeat the above movements 5 to 8 times.

To avoid “cell phone addiction”, what should we pay attention to in our daily life?

1. Pay attention to the correct posture of fingers and wrists

If you use the mouse for a long time, you can choose a mouse pad with wrist support. When working or doing housework, do not bend or extend your wrist excessively, and do not lift or carry heavy objects.

2. Avoid using your phone in one position for a long time

There are many ways to hold a mobile phone. A better way is to hold it with both hands to share the pressure. However, do not hold the phone in the same position for a long time. This will keep the muscles and joints in a tense state and easily cause discomfort. Therefore, it is also important to change the posture of holding the phone frequently.

3. Reduce the time spent on your phone

Avoid playing with your phone for a long time. After using your phone for 1 hour, it is best to take a break and relax the muscles and joints of your hands. You can do a hand massage, or rotate your wrist joints, clench your fists and then relax them to relieve discomfort in your hands.

4. Soak your hands in hot water

When you have time, you can soak your hands in hot water to promote blood circulation in your hands and relieve hand fatigue. Hot compresses can also relieve pain in the affected area. Be careful to prevent burns and always pay attention to the condition of your skin. If redness or blisters occur, stop immediately.

5. Massage

You can massage your wrists and hands more often to relieve pain and reduce symptoms. If the discomfort is strong, you can also consider applying ointment locally to relieve it.

Wearing a wrist guard

Wrist braces can limit excessive wrist movement, provide certain support to the wrist, and relieve wrist discomfort.

Prevention is better than cure, so we should pay attention to the correct posture and time of using our hands, pay attention to the combination of work and rest, and stay away from the interference of "mobile phone hands".