BlackBerrys are helping people connect at any hour of the day. Wii is aiding adults and children in becoming fitter. Laptops are enabling people to do to work in any environment.  

While these devices have added convenience to our lives, they've also spurred a new wave of overuse injuries.

Valerie Brill, PT, OCS, of Excel Physical Therapy outside of Philadelphia, Pa., says injuries such as "Wiiitis," musculoskeletal pain from playing the Nintendo Wii video game, and "Blackberry thumb," pain from repetitive strain and overuse of the thumb on a hand held device, are injuries becoming common among the technology-savvy crowd. 

"People are addicted to their handheld devices, and both adults and children are seeking medical treatment for their pain," Brill said. "Daily use of computer, phones, PDA and video games can cause pain, swelling and repetitive strain to the musculoskeletal system, because the body was not designed for this type of activity. Other symptoms of technology addiction can include carpal tunnel syndrome, tingling of the hands and fingers, neck pain, back pain and eyesight strain."

Daphne R. Scott, PT, DSc, regional manager of AthletiCo in Chicago, Ill., says any repetitive movement, such as texting, typing or throwing a virtual bowling ball, can lead to problems.

"Any chronic, repetitive movement can be an issue, whether it is texting or playing a video game. I even experienced a mild case of BlackBerry thumb when I first got mine," she said. "However, changing the thumb wheel resistance quickly resolved that problem." 

NO CHILD'S PLAY
It's not just adults who find their digits and limbs stiffened and strained after a day of technological play. Children are also spending more time using communication devices and computers, which is leading to similar issues, but in different areas of the body. Part of the problem is that children are sitting at adult-size work stations that are too large, which causes slouching and awkward sitting postures, Brill said.

"Children often work on the computer in different postures than adults. Many kids lounge on their bed, slouch in the car or lay on the floor. Many of these postures cause extreme strain on the neck as kids look at the screen. Low back pain is also common from being unsupported while they play," she said. 

Brill has also seen more children complain of overall finger pain and swelling from using handheld devices. The medical community, she says, is concerned that overuse injuries in children could lead to pain and poor posture as they grow into adulthood.

COMPUTER CRAZED
Despite the onslaught of other communication devices, work computers and laptops continue to pose some of the biggest problems for users.

"BlackBerrys got a bad rap for aggravating people's thumbs at one point, but I can tell you that I treat more people every day for neck and back pain from sitting at their computers too long with poor posture or working on their laptops," Scott says. 

Many of the issues plaguing people who use the latest devices are just a continuation of those seen in the workplace with improper posture at the work desk or computer, she adds. Laptops, because they allow the flexibility to work in any environment, have also made people lazy about their posture and sitting positions.

"Most patients really underestimate the effect that poor postural habits have on their bodies," Scott says. "Patients come in with chronic complaints of upper shoulder pain and neck pain and really think that something is seriously wrong with them. Then, I explain how their postural habits are a significant contributing factor to what they are experiencing, and once they start making the adjustments they are always shocked at how much better they feel."

Gimme a Break
The first part of rehabilitation is education. Scott has clients take pictures of their work space so she can explore the set up and see how they operate in them.

"We make adjustments to keyboard placement, mouse placement and chair heights, get headsets and explore the option of standing at their computer instead of always sitting," she says. "We build in guidelines for 10-second stretch breaks every 30 minutes to interrupt poor sitting habits, for example. Then we work on improving the postural musculature endurance and any other joint movement impairments that the individual may have that limits them from obtaining better postural control."

Brill said regular therapy modalities, such as massage, electrical stimulation and ice, can apply to technology injuries to reduce pain. Physical therapy also focuses on stretching and strengthening the affected area. She offers a few steps for treating adults and children:

1. About 20 to 30 minutes of game playing is appropriate. People should take a break. They should also take breaks from the computer, video game or PDA. They should only use a PDA or phone to send a quick message and use it for 3 minutes at a time.

2. Patients should stretch the wrists, elbows and shoulders throughout the day, when they are using a device and when they're not.

3. People should be aware of ergonomics at the workstation, making sure they are sitting in good postures with their arms supported, feet on the floor and hips and knees bent to 90 degrees.

4. If injury occurs, patients can ice the painful area as indicated and begin strengthening exercises when pain subsides. 

Lauren Fritsky is former associate editor of ADVANCE.