News 2006
Are you in danger of Text Message Injury?
21/02/2006
21.02.06 A recent survey from Virgin Mobile has revealed that mobile phones are now the cause of a reported 3.8 million* cases of repetitive strain injuries per year.
With over 93.5million text messages sent every day in the UK, text messaging has become an every day method of communication for mobile phone users. Test messages are created by lots of short and repetitive key presses on a mobile phone key pad, and it is this motion which, if carried out very frequently and without considering potential repetitive strain on the joints, can lead to pain or discomfort in the thumb and fingers.
With texting continuing to increase in popularity, there has been a significant growth in reported cases of Repetitive Strain Injury ( RSI ) occurring in the thumbs of Britain’s texters.
With over 12% of the population admitting to sending up to 20 texts per day and even 10% admitting to sending up to 100 texts every single day it is unsurprising that we are using our thumbs more than ever and suffering from sore finger and wrist joints as a result.
Virgin Mobile conducted a nationwide survey on the population’s texting habits and the physical effects this has on the wrists, fingers and thumbs. As a direct result of using our mobile phones for texting daily, there is a significant number of the population suffering from thumb and wrist pain.
British Chiropractic Association (BCA) spokesperson Dr Matthew Bennett is unsurprised by these findings. He explained:
“BCA chiropractors recognise that text messaging regularly, over a long periods of time, could cause repetitive strain which may cause both short and long term injuries. With text messaging on the increase, it is set to remain a popular form of communication for a long time to come. With this increased stress on our fingers and thumbs, Text Message Injury is likely to become more commonplace, unless users take precautions.
When text messaging, the tendency is to keep your shoulders and upper arms tense. This cuts down the circulation to the forearm, when in fact it needs a greater than normal blood flow to achieve the consistent movements of the thumbs and fingers.“
In a bid to prevent TMI, Dr Bennett has compiled a range of simple exercises to combat effects of repetitive strain injury through texting:
Sensible advice
- If texting starts to hurt. Stop. Use the other hand or call instead
- Vary the hand you use
- Vary the digits you use
- Don’t text for more than a few minutes without a break
Exercises
Stop these exercises if you feel any pain otherwise you can do more harm than good.
In your texting hand: -
- Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat x 5
- Pull your thumb firmly with the other hand. Repeat x 5
- Wrap an elastic band around the tips of fingers and thumb and open your hand against the resistance. Repeat x 20
- Palms down wrap an elastic band around each thumb and force apart. Repeat x 20
- Tap the palm and back of your hand on your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat x 20
- Massage thumb web, back of forearm and front of forearm. 2 minutes.
- Press and rub in a circular motion the painful nodules in those muscles. 30 seconds for each nodule.
- Reach up high with both arms and shake your hands. Reach down low with both arms and shake. Repeat x 3.
- Arms at 45 degrees squeeze them behind you.
- If it still hurts after a week of doing exercises wrap an ice pack on sore hand and arm parts. Do not put ice directly on the skin but wrap in a thin cloth or piece of kitchen roll. 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Repeat x 3.
Other statistics from 72 point.com reveal that over 4 million people suffer from either numb thumbs, a sore thumb or an achey wrist joint at some point from texting, with over 5 million revealing they have had to stop texting due to discomfort in their thumbs. This figure looks to increase as the MDA has forecast texting will continue to rise this year to deliver an annual total of 36.5 billion text messages for 2006 in the UK alone, with an average of 3 billion messages being sent per month and 100 million per day, compared with an estimated 82 million per day in 2005, 68.5 million in 2004, and 56.2 million in 2003.
But fear not, Virgin Mobile have the solution. February 21st 2006 is national Text Message Injury day. Street teams will be coming to a train or tube station near you distributing goodies to help prevent against thumb and wrist strain with specific exercise information and products.
Please visit www.practisesafetext.com for further information.
* All data supplied from 72 point.com
Case studies available on request.
For further information please contact:
Krissy Knights: 0207 291 3035 krissy@henryshouse.com
Rachel Moule: 0207 291 3033 rachel@henryshouse.com
Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 600 6272 or press.office@virginmobile.com
Amber Morris : 0207 484 4349 or amber.morris@virginmobile.com
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers*.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Dixons, Phones 4 U, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independents mobile phones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, at concessions in WHSmith and at www.virginmobile.com.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile's customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumers in the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2005 and 2004, according to the surveys by J.D. Power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in `The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ list 2005 and is part of the FTSE4Good Index.
*On a 90-day activity basis.
About The British Chiropractic Association
Chiropractic is a primary health-care profession that specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of conditions that are due to problems with the joints, ligaments, tendons and nerves of the body, particularly those of the spine. Treatment consists of a wide range of manipulative techniques designed to improve the function of the joints, relieving pain and muscle spasm. Chiropractic does not involve the use of any drugs or surgery.
The British Chiropractic Association (BCA), founded in 1925, represents well over 50% of UK chiropractors. All BCA chiropractors will have undergone a minimum four-year full-time internationally accredited degree course and are registered with the General Chiropractic Council, the UK's statutory regulator for the profession. The BCA aim to promote, encourage and maintain high standards of conduct, practice, education and training within the profession in the UK.
To find details of your nearest BCA chiropractor call the British Chiropractic Association on 0118 950 5950 or visit www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk
Matthew Bennett:
Dr Matthew Bennett from the British Chiropractic Association practises in Brighton and has a special interest on overuse injuries. During the past 20 years, since graduating from Chiropractic College in Bournemouth, he has seen a steady rise in the number of people complaining of repetitive strain problems, especially in the wrist, arm and neck. He is a spokesperson for the BCA, where he sits on the governing Council and is a Fellow of the College of Chiropractors, where he is Director of Provisional Registration Training.
