www.amtamassage.org/mtj 17 by by d ause njuries c Injuries As therapists, it is important to be aware of these common conditions Following are ten of the most common dysfunctional postural patterns postural patterns and future injuries in the making. However, most of these the making. However, postural patterns and future injuries in to our biomechanics as we conditions can be avoided if we pay attention hold and use the smart phone. so that we can be prepared to assess for them, and if found, provide the appropriate clinical orthopedic work to ameliorate the condition. Being aware of these potential problems also us with the knowledge needed to be able to offer the client valuable postural advice about how to properly hold and use the smart phone so that the development of these problems can be avoided. and injuries that may occur with smart phone use. Some of these condi- tions are purely postural and can be avoided by improving the posture that is employed when using a smart phone. Other conditions may better be even with repetitive described as repetitive overuse conditions. However, overuse conditions, improving smart phone posture can help to minimize or avoid their onset. For these reasons, some suggested postures for smart phone use are offered at the end of this article. rice of Smartrice Phones Phone Use Phone t

he P Art Giovanni Rimasti | Photography Yanik Chauvin Yanik | Art Rimasti Muscolino Joseph E. | Photography by Giovanni ent Cont ert Exp d an ct Postures ional Dysfun Common Ten Smar

T Body Mechanics The introduction of any new technology often comes with un- expected consequences. This is certainly true with widespread use of the smart phone. Although the smart phone is a wonderful marvel of communication that allows us to be connected with our loved ones, friends, and business colleagues, as well as connect us to the internet and therefore the world around us, unfortunately it comes at a price. That price is the physical stress One that it can place on our body. only needs to go to a public place and observe others while using their smart phones. The odds are that we will see many dysfunctional 18 mtj/massage therapy journal spring 2015 . Thesemusclesare the ex- tach tothelateralepicondyle ofthe common extensortendonthat at- by overuseofthemuscles of the muscles. This condition is caused ity of the bellies of the associated usually accompaniedbyhypertonic- common extensortendonoccurs, mation and/ordegenerationofthe sis, isaconditioninwhichinflam- epicondylitis orlateralepicondylo- Tennis , alsoknownaslateral 2 Tennis common . stress uponthemusculatureandits contraction strengthandtherefore necessary, therebyincreasingthe grips thesmartphoneharderthan condition isacceleratediftheclient tendon. Thedevelopmentofthis dysfunction ofthecommonflexor ing to fatigue and eventual injury/ the associatedmusculature,lead- prolonged isometriccontractionof occurs withoverusethatrequires time isnotaproblem.Theproblem occasionally forafewminutesat (Figure 1).Holdingthesmartphone any object including a smart phone actions necessarytogripandhold the fingers;inotherwords,joint cles doflexionofthewristjointand perficialis. Asawhole,thesemus- teres, andtheflexordigitorumsu- flexor carpiulnaris), thepronator carpi radialis,palmarislongus,and cles ofthewristflexorgroup(flexor These musclesarethethreemus- medial epicondyle of the humerus. mon flexor tendon thatattach to the overuse ofthemusclescom- muscles. Thisconditioniscausedby ity of the bellies of the associated usually accompaniedbyhypertonic- the commonflexortendonoccurs, flammation and/ordegenerationof dylosis, isaconditioninwhich- dial epicondylitisormedialepicon- Golfer’s elbow, alsoknownasme- 1 Golfer’ Elbow s Elbow stresses musclesofscapularelevation. Figure phonebetween theshoulderandear physically asmart 3.Crimping astenniscondition elbow. isknown to overuse, fatigue, tendon. ofthecommon extensor anddysfunction This Figure 2.Prolonged phone(orpenasseenhere) canlead holdingofasmart elbow. ofthecommon flexordysfunction tendon.known asgolfer’sThis condition is Figure 1.Prolonged phonecanleadto overuse, holdingofasmart fatigue, and Dec ECRB ember 13, radialis Fl MTJ-6A ex or carpi super F lex Finger flexors or digitorum ficialis 2009 longus P almari s ulnaris F lex or carp i www.amtamassage.org/mtj 19 Figure 4. Holding the phone out in 4. Holding the Figure stress, of the body can overly front of musculature and injure fatigue, . the anterior It take is wise to a your from break smart every phone so minutes few move can that you your and change posture.” - ain r Str Shoulder Anterior 4 phone to hold the phone in the air It is common for people using a smart it requires that posture is this with The difficulty their body. of in front out isometric contraction of the musculature of humeral flexion at the glenohu- is muscles these among Foremost air. the in out the hold to joint meral the anterior deltoid (Figure 4). Holding the arm out in flexion also requires stabilization of the scapula, which requires contraction of and therefore stress to the upper trapezius. And if the person also adds in elevation of the it places even greater stress on shoulder girdle to hold the phone up higher, the upper trapezius, as well as the levator scapulae. Therefore, excessive en- gagement of this posture can lead to anterior deltoid strain as well as strain of the upper trapezius and levator scapulae. ht Uptight 3 with a smart phone occurs when Developing “uptight” elevated shoulders because the ear and shoulder, the phone is crimped (compressed) between elevation musculature to bring this posture requires contraction of scapular the ear (Figure 3). Muscles of the shoulder up to hold the phone against and likely to become fatigued, scapular elevation that are used/overused and levator scapulae. Crimping a tight, and injured are the upper trapezius of musculature flexion lateral of same-side also requires contraction phone against the phone and shoulder. the neck to help press the ear downward the stresses, physically therefore of, and requires contraction further This flex- of lateral muscles well as other scapulae, as levator and upper trapezius phones. It was and still is common ion. This problem is not new with smart because smart phones However, for people to crimp landline phones too. effort necessary to crimp a smart the amount of muscular are much smaller, phone. phone is greater than to crimp a landline use condition. Gripping the phone more forcefully than necessary will also the phone more forcefully than necessary use condition. Gripping and therefore the likelihood increase the stress to the extensor musculature that this condition will develop. tensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi, and digiti minimi, digitorum, extensor radialis brevis, extensor tensor carpi the of extension do muscles these group, a As ulnaris. carpi extensor the do not need fingers. It would seem that these muscles wrist joint and the a smart phone because this activ- holding and to contract when gripping musculature. by flexion musculature, not extensor ity requires contraction isometrically to sta- musculature is needed to contract extensor However, flexors digitorum and prevent it from flexing when the bilize the wrist joint fingers. Most often, muscles contract to flex the superficialis and profundus in this scenario radialis brevis (ECRB) that engages it is the extensor carpi stress muscu- holding a smart phone does physically (Figure 2). Therefore, to . extensor tendon and can contribute lature of the common is an over tennis elbow elbow, a problem; like golfer’s Occasional use is not 吀漀 栀愀瘀攀 愀挀挀攀猀猀 琀漀 琀栀攀 挀漀洀 瀀氀攀琀攀 愀爀琀椀挀氀攀Ⰰ 猀甀戀猀挀爀椀戀攀 琀漀 䐀椀最椀琀愀氀 䌀伀䴀吀⸀

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