Top 3 ways to save your hands from technology

By Melinda Jermer-Gu, OTR/L, MEd

We use our hands for numerous activities during the day — dressing, cooking, and driving just to name a few. However, the use of handheld electronic devices dominates a lot of our hand activity.

Today, there are a wide variety of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) such as tablets, e-readers, smartphones, MP3 players, and electronic toys that dominate our waking hours and keep our hands and minds engaged. Increased use of PEDs can lead to pain in the neck, upper extremities, and hand pain all due to poor positioning; numbness and tingling in the fingers; and a variety of “itis” due to nerve irritation and overuse of the hand muscles.

How can you decrease the potential for hand, wrist, and forearm pain during use of a PED? Look to joint protection strategies, specifically for the hand and wrist, to decrease the stress and strain on your hands.

The first and easiest way to save your hands is to avoid prolonged use in the same position. Take a break and get up and MOVE every 20 minutes. Glide and stretch the muscles in the hands and wrists as shown here:

Another way to help your hands is to purchase adaptive equipment so you can modify way the way you hold the device. Find an item that will prop the device to eliminate the need for gripping. Use a stylus with a built up grip. There are also rings you may attach to the back of your device that will stabilize the device in your hand and reduce gripping. Several examples include:

The
third, least expensive, and easiest way to save your hands from technology is
to stop using the device for a while and see how you feel. Try it while you are
on vacation. The pain might go away!

Avoiding
the use of PEDs is nearly impossible in today’s modern life. Taking frequent
breaks, using better posture, and completing stretches before and after use of a
PED may help decrease or eliminate your bothersome symptoms.

If you
find symptoms persist after using the above strategies, you may need to seek assistance
from your primary care physician, physical medicine/rehab doctor, or a hand/orthopedic
doctor. They may provide you a prescription to receive occupational or physical
therapy to assist with alleviating your symptoms. To learn more about
Sheltering Arms occupational therapy, click here or call (877) 56-REHAB
to schedule an evaluation.