Megan Ellis / Android Authority
I’m no stranger to aches and pains from using my tech devices for long periods. But when my colleague Andy wrote about his experience with “smartphone pinky,” that’s when I realized how many people are familiar with the pain of balancing your smartphone on your little finger.
Sometimes this pain is felt in the knuckles of your pinky, but it may also radiate down your hand and wrist. With smartphones getting larger displays and bigger batteries, the problem is likely to become more widespread.
The good news is that you don’t have to deal with the pain and tingling sensations; there are a few things you can do about it. Here are some of the different techniques I’ve tried over the years to reduce my smartphone pinky pain.
Have you ever experienced smartphone pinky? 15 votes Yes 80 % No 20 %
1. Stretching
Joe Maring / Android Authority
While most of my tips focus on preventing the painful sensation in the first place, what do you do when you’re already there? After all, most of us only notice that something is causing strain once we’re in pain.
The good news is that there are a variety of stretches you can try to alleviate smartphone pinky. The exact stretch that works best for you will depend on your symptoms and the area of discomfort. For me, balancing my smartphone on my pinky for extended periods can irritate my ulnar nerve, especially around the wrist. So, I focus on wrist stretches like the ones provided by Medical News Today to see which ones bring me relief.
When the pain has already started, stretching can help calm your muscles and irritated nerves.
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