A review of 32 studies found that smartphone use was associated chiefly with thumb tendon conditions, while doctors interviewed by Gulf News said hand pain after phone use does not establish an arthritis diagnosis.
Published Oct. 8, the review covered phones, computers and other digital devices. Most of its studies were cross-sectional, limiting researchers’ ability to determine whether device use caused the hand or wrist conditions they observed.
Evidence of a connection between phone use and arthritis is limited. A 2014 case report described two women, ages 32 and 33, who reported heavy phone use and had pain and joint changes at the base of their thumbs. Two cases cannot establish what caused those changes.
The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases lists repetitive joint overuse among several osteoarthritis risk factors, along with aging, previous injuries and family history. Its guidance does not identify smartphones as a cause. The UK National Health Service describes rheumatoid arthritis as an autoimmune disease.
Gulf News reported that rheumatology specialist Dr. Tania Sultana Memon of NMC Royal Hospital DIP Dubai and consultant orthopaedic, hand and microsurgeon Dr. Chaitanya D of Medcare Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital advised phone users to take breaks and alter how they hold and operate their devices. The doctors said repeated tapping, scrolling and gripping can strain hands and wrists.
The NHS says repetitive movement can cause hand and wrist symptoms, including pain, stiffness and weakness. Its repetitive strain injury guidance advises seeing a GP if symptoms do not go away or get worse.
Separate NHS guidance on joint pain recommends assessment for pain or swelling that recurs or worsens, pain that has not improved after two weeks of home care, or stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes after waking. It advises seeking urgent help when joint pain occurs with hot, swollen skin, fever or feeling unwell.
