Frequent thumb texters much more likely to develop tendinitis

  • Study done by the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation used 149 participants ages 18 to 40
  • Researchers examined tendons on those who text only with their thumbs and found them to thicken with text frequency
  • Abnormal thickening can lead to joint pain later in life

People who often text with their thumbs may experience an abnormal thickening of the tendons in their hand leading to tendinitis, according to a new study from the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

The study also discovered that, even when using thumbs, the majority of people tended to put more stress on the thumb of their dominant hand.

Overuse injuries of such small tendons have received almost no study in the past, the paper noted.

People who often text with their thumbs may experience an abnormal thickening of the tendons in their hand leading to tendinitis, according to a new study

People who often text with their thumbs may experience an abnormal thickening of the tendons in their hand leading to tendinitis, according to a new study

As The Wall Street Journal reports, the researchers used 149 people in Turkey from ages 18 to 40 for their study.

Participants were ranked by their texting style and frequency.

Tendon thickness was recorded in ultrasound images showing the length through the carpal tunnel to the thumb's tip.

For those who texted frequently, the dominant side's tendon was much thicker.

Tendon thickness was recorded in ultrasound images showing the length through the carpal tunnel to the thumb's tip

Tendon thickness was recorded in ultrasound images showing the length through the carpal tunnel to the thumb's tip

Thickness increased for those who sent the most texts.

Those who texted the most reported having greater thumb pain in their dominant texting hand compared to people who rarely sent text messages.

Infrequent texters sent an average of just 50 messages in a month while frequent texters may write as many as 1,209.