The Way You Hold Your Phone Can Hurt Your Health.

Woman using a smart phone, close up.

Photo: Getty Images

A woman on twitter shared a warning about using your pinky as an anchor when you hold your phone, saying it's damaging your wrist and the "ulnar nerve."

"What's an ulnar nerve?" we all asked in unison. According to Orthoinfo.org, the ulnar nerve is one of the three main nerves in your arm. It travels from your neck down into your hand, and can be constricted in several places along the way, such as beneath the collarbone or at the wrist.

She doesn't seem to have a medical background, but she did share multiple medical articles that support her tweet.

One article, from the Cleveland Clinic, discussed injuries linked to overuse of your phone, including something called "texting thumb."

The Cleveland Clinic says that using only your thumb to do all the scrolling and writing can cause "fine tears in your muscle and tendons" which create "inflammation that causes swelling and stiffness."

One from Healthline talks about which fingers are most impacted by holding a phone, tablet or game controller-- the pinky and thumb.

The constant pressure on the pinky joint as you anchor your device can lead to 'smartphone finger', which is when tendons are tired out by repetitive movements, resulting in wear and tear on the tendon as well as 'soreness and inflammation'.

So how do you avoid things like "smartphone finger?"

Go hands-free. Change your grip, use a stylus or use talk-to-text to give your hand a break. It's also suggested to stretch your fingers or just let them rest.

Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content