[BIGGZ26]

[stonent]

Blackberry use 'can damage thumb'

More than 1.3m people have bought a Blackberry


Trendy handheld Blackberry devices could cause damage to users' thumbs, doctors are warning.

Sales of the £200 gadget, which can be used to email, page and phone, have boomed in recent years with celebrities such as David Beckham using them.

But US and UK doctors said repetitive use could cause arthritis or harm tendons in the thumb.

Research in Motion, which manufactures the Blackberry, said it would not comment on the claims.





The thing is the thumb is designed flex and rotate in all directions, it works differently from the fingers




Professor Sean Hughes, Imperial College London




More than 1.3m people have bought a Blackberry since they came on to the market, helping it to corner the top-end of the wireless communications market.

Sean Hughes, professor of orthopaedic surgery at Imperial College London, told BBC News prolonged use could potentially cause wear and tear on the thumb.

"People who use them a lot could suffer from osteoarthritis.

"The thing is the thumb is designed flex and rotate in all directions, it works differently from the fingers.

"The joint at the bottom of the thumb allows it to move like this and tapping away could cause it to become sore."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4222365.stm

[BoosterJuice]

Has anyone here experienced sore thumbs due to bb use? Seems very unlikely to me. I just recently purchased mine and should be receiving it in a few days.

[Bear]

Years and years ago they swore up and down that kids hands were going to cramp because of heavy joystick use with the Atari 2600. Years after that, it was Nintendo Thumb.

Let's put it this way, how many times to you open and close your hand on a daily basis? How many times to you grasp things? You're not doing any more damage that way then using your thumbs to type.