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Are
you at risk for “Cell Phone Elbow”?
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Cell phone elbow,
medically referred to as cubital
tunnel syndrome is reported in
the Cleveland Clinic Journal of
Medicine to be the second most
common nerve compression syndrome in
the upper extremities; second only
to carpal tunnel syndrome. Author
Peter J. Evans, MD, PhD
Director
of Hand and Upper Extremity Center
at the Cleveland Clinic reports that
cellular telephone use has
increased exponentially, with 3.3
billion service contracts active
worldwide—or about one for every two
people on the planet. He reports
that the exact incidence of cell
phone elbow is not known, but
anecdotal reports and their own
clinical experience indicates that
its incidence parallels the rise in
the use of cell phones and computer
workstations. |
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Symptoms
of Cubital tunnel syndrome include
pain, numbness and/or tingling from
the elbow to the hand, often
affecting the small and ring fingers
(similar to symptoms experienced
when bumping your ulnar nerve, or
"funny bone", however lasting
longer).
When holding a cell phone to your
ear, the ulnar nerve passing around
the elbow is stretched. When
holding the phone in that position
for extended periods of time, it
restricts the blood supply to the
nerve.
Dr. Leon Benson, orthopedic
surgeon and a spokesman for the
American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons, says that the elbow is
actually designed to do quite a lot
of bending. “But it’s just not
designed to bend for hours at a time
without any change.” |
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To evaluate your risk
of experiencing cell phone elbow you
may ask:
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Am I holding a cell
phone to my ear for hours a day?
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 Am
I working at my keyboard with my
elbows flexed (bent) greater than
90 degrees?
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Do I sleep curled
up with my elbows flexed greater
than 90 degrees?
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Do I lean on my
elbows (compressing the ulnar
nerve) for extended periods of
time such as when driving?
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If you answered yes to one or more of
these questions, some simple
modifications to your habits and working
postures can help.
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Reduce your cell phone
use, switch hands frequently or use a
hand-free option such as a headset or
speakerphone.
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Make ergonomic
adjustments to your workstation to
facilitate neutral elbow postures
(approximately 90 degrees) while using
the keyboard.
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Sleep in a more open
posture rather than curled up with the
elbows flexed greater than 90 degrees.
Using an elbow pad or wrapping a towel
around the elbow to prevent flexion
while sleeping is suggested as an
effective option by Dr. Evans.
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Avoid leaning on your
elbows for extended periods of time.
These simple measures can prevent or
treat the symptoms of cell phone elbow.
However, if unchecked, the symptoms may
progress to hand fatigue and weakness
and in some cases result in the need for
surgical intervention.
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic Journal
of Medicine,
"What is Cell Phone Elbow, and What
Should We Tell our Patients?," Darowish,
M., MD, Lawton, J., MD, Evans, P., MD,
76(5):306-308
doi:10.3949/ccjm.76a.08090, 2009.
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/06/08/2009-06-08_cubital_tunnel_syndrome_or_cell_phone_elbow_is_a_painful_new_condition_of_the_di.html
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