High-Tech Health Hazards
By: Helen Chickering, NBC
Updated: March 18, 2009
Blackberry thumbs, Twitter tendonitis, if the headlines hold true, the thumb texting trendsetters of today's hand-held generation are facing a future of hi-tech hurt."It's too early to tell, there's not a true diagnosis of 'Blackberry thumb'" said Duke University Ergonomics Expert Tamara James.
James said scientists are just starting to study the physical impact of the handheld revolution.
And early evidence suggests the now dominant digit is changing and getting bigger.
"They do have really strong thumbs - from what I understand and from what the research has shown," said James.
Only time will tell if those younger stronger thumbs are better suited for the rigors of rapid texting.
Meantime, researchers are also investigating back, neck and other handheld complaints, including addiction.
Technology that is taking the fall for what many argue is really a human behavior problem.
"They just can't put it down. They are constantly using those thumbs, constantly texting," said James.
And there's plenty of evidence to support the claim that too much of anything is rarely a good thing.
The latest numbers find cell phone users send and receive on average more than 350 text messages a month.
That's compared to just 200 phone calls.
The typical U.S. teen currently sends or receives the most text messages, around 1,700 a month!
