In this video, we’ll be looking at how the use of cell phones is being associated with Arthritis.
This is another in a series of short videos where I’ll be sharing links to numerous scientific studies showing a great number of human health issues that are being linked to cell phone use.
Are we raising a generation doomed to develop arthritis? Some researchers seem to think so. There seem to be at least two main factors at work here. The first is that repetitive motion, combined with poor posture, puts too much stress on joints, tendons, and muscles. That added stress can turn into injuries — not just of the wrists, hands, and arms, but the neck and back as well.
The second is that some studies are showing that exposure to cell phone radiation exacerbates disease in which inflammation is a contributing factor. For example, a 2014 study linked cell phone radiation with inflammatory bladder disease.
Most people are aware that they can sometimes experience pain and stiffness after texting. Doctors are seeing growing numbers of young adults with arthritis pain today because of the gaming and texting they did as kids years earlier. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that middle-school and high-school students average 95 minutes of texting every day, and a Pew Research report found that one in three teens sends more than 100 text messages a day — that’s 3000 texts a month. Children and young adults 8 to 18 years old are also spending more than 7 hours a day on some type of entertainment media.
One thing doctors recommend to help is to not use your thumb to text, but rather to hold your phone in one hand and use the index finger of your other to do the typing. Also, not holding your phone in your hand while walking. This can increase pain in the wrist, and repetitive stress on the wrist can lead to irreparable damage. If you need to talk when you are walking, the use of an air tube headset is highly recommended.
If you would like to examine more information on Arthritis and cell phone use, I have included links below.
Kaiser Family Foundation Study Link:
Pew Research Phone Use & Texting Study:
https://www.pewinternet.org/2012/03/19/teens-smartphones-texting/
RF Safe Article on Disease and Inflammation:
Study on Cell Phone Radiation and Inflammatory Bladder Disease:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25251956?dopt=Abstract
Article from Everyday Health on Texting and Arthritis:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/arthritis/are-you-texting-your-way-to-arthritis.aspx
Business Insider article on Cell Phone Use and Arthritis: