Arm Pain Using Apple Watch Ultra

I was having these severe pains on my left side for a while, it started in my wrist then radiated through my entire arm and shoulder then in my chest , I couldn’t figure it out so one day I misplaced my Apple Watch and couldn’t wear it for a while and my pain subsided after a while and I had noooo pain, I was so relieved, eventually I found my watch, started to wear it again and a few days later the pain began again, still I have not connected the pain to the watch until the pain started to go back into my shoulder and I begin to think back to when it started and each time I had the watch on so I stop wearing the watch and the pain went away. I do not have the ultra, I have another series of the watch and it definitely causes pain and it hurts bad

I bought an Apple Watch Ultra about 5 months ago. Recently my left elbow has been hurting so badly I have barely been able to pick anything up with my left arm. Feels like my left elbow had been badly bruised but it was deep not superficial. I’ve taken the watch off and the pain is going away. To many people are complaining about the same issue for this to be coincidence. Apple needs to step up and address this issue. I don’t think it’s due to how it’s worn, the wrist band or the tightness of the wristband. Not going to be wearing my watch till there is a little more transparency on this issue.

I’ve never worn a watch, but I work in the ER which is very stressful at times.So I decided after watching the new products video about the watches, I thought it would be a good idea to help keep up with my heart rate throughout my shift and a benefit. But how I regret this decision. This pain is so excruciating, like nothing I have ever felt. My finger tips are tickling so bad, they feel like they’re going to burst. The ache throughout my arm has literally made me cry like a new born baby. So confused at what Apple’s plan is to rectify these issues concerning the consumer.

I agree, although I have been wearing my watch for years now, it has now affected my elbow and my fingers and it is very painful, like others, I see Apple always taking about the band being too tight. It’s not that, Apple needs to be honest about what’s really going on. I am going to stop wearing it for a while.

To many people having the same issue for it to be coincidence. And I to don’t believe it’s the wristband. I’ve switched wrists I want to see if my left elbow feels better and if my right elbow starts hurting. Seems like that would be a definitive answer. None of these company’s know the long term effects of these devices. They haven’t been around long enough. But I don’t think they care either.

I am having the exact same problem. I was on the phone with Apple for over an hour this morning and they have no knowledge of this being a problem. I, like you, seem to have a really expensive watch that will have to sit on the shelf - it is NOT worth the pain.

So I still have this swollen elbow - before my elbow went to what they call elbow bursitis I had sharp pains in my fingers and on my wrist. When I would take my ultra watch off for hours it would all go away. I went where I was wearing my watch all day charging a little bit wearing it all night and that’s when out of the blue came this elbow issue I haven’t had my watch on for a week guess what’s going away?? this is no coincidence - the question is what is going to be done about it! So much money into this new ultra watch and it’s not even being used. I’m actually kind of nervous to put it back on.

I also have the Ultra watch - Have been wearing it several months and noticed sharp enough pains in my wrist that I took it off for a bit - they went away.

this week out of the blue my elbow felt like it was bruised. I couldn’t see anything it looked normal by the end of that night. I have what they call elbow bursitis. It’s horrific Lee painful. I’ve been to urgent care I’ve been to the doctor and now I’m going to orthopedic to see if they can get this under control. I have not hit my elbow. I have not changed anything different in my routine. It just appeared one day have not wore my watch since trying to get rid of this.

I have noticed gradually increasing pain in my elbow and forearm since I started wearing the apple watch - never had this with the previous smartwatches. I'm just figuring out the connection and decided to search if others experienced this - glad I did. Most people can't just throw away a several hundred dollar watch, so Apple - what can you do to remedy this situation??

I also have the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with Cellular. My arm began having a burning sensation pain in the bone or nerves. I thought it might be bruised but it wasn’t. The pain was happening for 7-10 days. I stopped wearing the watch and the pain began to subside. I don’t know if it’s from the cellular signal or the other fields being emitted by the device directly into my arm, but it was very concerning. I was about to go to the doctor to get a blood test for a cancer screening, when my wife said it was probably from my watch. Apple needs to address this issue. There are hundreds of posts about this online. I hope these health issues are not more severe than just arm pain.

I have been diagnosed with deQuervain’s tenosynovitis in September 2023 about 6 months after purchasing the Apple Ultra. I got injections, felt better and continued to wear my watch after it healed but now 6 months later, it is back with a vengeance. I got another shot last week which this time helped a little but when I just put my watch back on, has started the excruciating pain in my wrist again. There has to be some reason so many of il us are having these problems. I know we purchased the watches off our own accord, but I certainly didn’t know it was going to cause this severe pain due to its heaviness. I wish Apple would recognize the problem and at least do something to help buy us out of these phones we can no longer wear for health reasons.

@ReaganGovender

I'm with you! It's a shame that the fault lies on users who "wear it incorrectly," especially since this seems to be a real issue!

Have you tried to change your strap?

I also have Ultra and I've found that the Alpine loop sometimes gives me some pain and discomfort, but the Trail one is perfect.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2020/02/12/apple-watch-wrist-pain-how-i-cured-mine-literally-overnight/

If you have this problem with multiple straps you can change the position of the watch in order to have him more on your arm than your wrist, as this article suggests.

I do have seen some sites reporting some concerns about radiations, etc but I don't know how reliable they are, they often seems inaccurate to me.