I've developed iThumb! Anyone else?

repeat motion much

This isn't so much of an iThumb but a mobileThumb, as it's been reported with many people who text a lot. I've taken to texting with my index and second finger, since getting the iPhone, as I find it's quicker, and I'm much less likely to drop the phone, as I hold it in my left hand when texting with my right-hand fingers. I wonder whether the posts of dropped iPhones are a result of people texting with the thumbs whilst holding the iPhone in the same hand? Remember that the iPhone's screen is much more likely to be damaged by a fall than other mobiles, so you have to be extra careful with it.

Hope your thumb gets better soon.

its a case of repetative strain injury to me!!!

Just swap fingers every now and then, its going to be different for every user.

Sounds like RSI, but iThumb sounds better! 😝

I sometimes find my thumb a bit sore after writing emails on the iPhone - as a throwback to my old N70 days I tend to hold the phone with both hands and use both thumbs while typing.

Might try the suggestion to hold it in one hand and use the fingers of the other to type...

I read a recent article about pre-teens losing the use of their hands for months. Fancy hotels actually have massages available just for adult Blackberry users, because they text so much.

[Pain of keyboarding|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/22/AR2 005042201739.html]

Thumbs were made for grasping, not for the sideways movement that texting requires. Nor for swiping... try to use your other fingers for scrolling on the iPhone.

Please see a doctor. I've had too many friends go through wrist surgeries. Good luck!

Frankly, after 8 months of using my iPhone I've never been able to get any accuracy from two-finger typing and I've always had to use the one-finger hunt and peck method to get any accuracy when typing....so I suppose I might have index finger-related repetitive injury coming down the road...LOL

RSI = repetitive strain injury, and is common in sportspeople and typists.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetitivestraininjury

Repetitive Strain Injuries are nothing to mess around with, you can cause permanent damage if left untreated. You need to see a doctor and you may need to wear a splint for awhile to allow the injury to heal.

This condition used to be called "Nintendo thumb".... as others have said, it's a repetitive stress injury (like carpal tunnel syndrome). Rest the affected joint (cut back on your texting!) and try using other fingers when you do text.

Ayudame wrote:
"Please see a doctor"? lol. My family and co-workers would make so much fun of me! I can hear it now...

Perhaps, but its just as legit as other computer related injuries like carpal tunnle or eye strain.

RSI is very serious. There are quite a few jobs where people spend all day on the computer. People can be laid up for a long time with the inability to use their hands and arms. They need to switch to voice dictation and other input sources than a standard mouse. The visual effects industry has a number of people that have these problems. As mentioned those who use Blackberry's a lot have problems. Best bet is to take a break or at least vary how you use your equipment.