​Woman Shares Warning To People Who Use Pinky To Hold Smartphone

A woman has shared a warning to people who use their pinky finger to hold their smartphone, saying it's damaging to the body in various ways.

Many of us often find ourselves clutching our phone with one hand, using our three middle fingers to support the back of the device while our smallest digit holds onto the bottom, leaving the thumb free to scroll.

But Twitter user @MrsBundrige took to social media earlier this week to warn people against doing precisely that, saying it's harmful to your wrist and something that's known as the 'ulnar nerve'.

She wrote: "I don't know who needs to hear this but, when you're using your phone, stop using your pinky as an anchor. It's destroying your wrist and aggravating your ulnar nerve."

The woman, who doesn't appear to come from a medical background, also posted a number of articles to support her concerns.

One, from the Cleveland Clinic laid out several injuries linked to 'mobile device overuse', including something that's been dubbed 'texting thumb'.

According to the clinic, leaving your thumb to do all the scrolling and writing can cause 'fine tears in your muscles and tendons', in turn creating 'inflammation that causes swelling and stiffness'.

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Orthopedic surgeon Peter J. Evans, MD, PhD recommends varying your texting style, using your index fingers to give your thumbs a break.

Another article she linked to was from Healthline, which claims the fingers most impacted by holding a smartphone, tablet or video game controller are your pinky and thumb.

"By extension, your wrists can also be impacted by the way you hold your phone," journalist Kathryn Watson explains.

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The constant pressure on the pinky joint as you anchor your device can lead to 'smartphone finger', which is when tendons are tired out by repetitive movements, resulting in wear and tear on the tendon as well as 'soreness and inflammation'.

According to Healthline, symptoms of smartphone finger - which is also known as tendinitis - include pain or stiffness at the base of the affected finger, a clicking sound when you move your pinky finger, difficulty moving your fingers when you wake up in the morning and numbness in our fingertip.

To help with the issue, you can go hands-free by using a smartphone grip to 'decrease the pressure on your thumb and pinky', use a stylus tool or talk-to-text features, stretch your fingers or simply plan for regular rest periods.

Topics: World News, phone, News, Twitter, Health

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman