Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Computers and your hands: Dispelling common myths

Alejandro Badia, MD
Conditions
August 21, 2022
66 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Have you heard that computer use causes carpal tunnel syndrome? In fact, there is a near-universal belief that technology gadgets can cause all sorts of hand problems. Both the lay public and most healthcare providers believe that entities such as “Blackberry thumb” and “repetitive strain injury” truly exist and that common hand problems such as flexor tendonitis and basal joint arthritis of the thumb are caused by repetitive typing or using a mouse. The most common myth remains that Carpal tunnel syndrome is “that computer disease” and that using your hands for what is now an everyday function for many people can cause physical harm. Nothing is further from the truth.

Not only are common conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), trigger finger, and tennis elbow not caused by so-called “overuse” or “repetitive stress,” but they are actually metabolic and hormonal-related issues that are actually quite easy to treat; given the right diagnosis is made and the sufferer is seeing the right type of specialist. Furthermore, the rarely discussed economic ramifications of this are staggering. A Swedish cohort study demonstrated that frequent keyboard use was actually less common in CTS sufferers, albeit not statistically significant.

CTS is responsible for nearly 1/3 of all money spent on workers’ compensation, rivaling low back pain. More than two billion dollars is spent a year on a condition commonly seen in the general population but particularly common in perimenopausal women, diabetics, and hypothyroid patients. It is also common in third-trimester pregnancies but usually resolves after delivery once fluid retention diminishes. Unfortunately, money in the truly broken workers’ comp system would be better spent on compensating injured workers in true work-related accidents such as falls, crush injuries, or lacerations, but instead goes to a pool of patients suffering from a very common and easily treatable nerve compression disorder.

Education regarding carpal tunnel syndrome and other such “repetitive stress injuries” is severely lacking, and the information available to the public, employers, and the insurance industry is based upon myths not supported in the scientific literature amongst hand specialists. The misconception may have come about due to the former association between women and keyboard use since secretarial work traditionally had certain demographic trends, and these are the same patients that tend to suffer from CTS. Any hand surgeon will tell you they never see an adolescent sufferer, yet they are typing away all day on Facebook or using a smartphone.

Dispelling the myth will not only have a great economic impact, crucial in this age of health care cost containment but also enable the sufferer to have the appropriate and speedy treatment. Employers should focus on having their employees be seen by appropriate specialists, allowing businesses to not lose crucial employees. Furthermore, this gross and pervasive misconception is likely the tip of the iceberg regarding healthcare myths since dispelling them relies on each specialty bringing forth the facts. This requires physician engagement with the public at an educational level and interest in the popular media in bringing forth the truth rather than continuing to regurgitate false claims.

The real question is whether our media sources will take the same level of interest as they do in certain other topics, such as aesthetic surgery or obesity solutions. The difference is that many clinical issues require sustained behavior change while others simply require some basic education. We will see if real interest follows or if will we continue to burn cash on false premises or faulty treatments.

Alejandro Badia is an orthopedic surgeon and author of Healthcare from the Trenches. He can be reached at Healthcare from the Trenches and on Facebook and Instagram @badiahandtoshouldercenter.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Tips for treating high-weight patients [PODCAST]

August 20, 2022 Kevin 0
…
Next

Controlling physician behavior

August 21, 2022 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Orthopedics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Tips for treating high-weight patients [PODCAST]
Next Post >
Controlling physician behavior

More by Alejandro Badia, MD

  • The failure of COVID-19 vaccine distribution confirms government incompetence

    Alejandro Badia, MD
  • Health care from the trenches: Change must come from us

    Alejandro Badia, MD

Related Posts

  • Medicine could use more common sense

    Leonard Zwelling, MD
  • What the police and psychiatrists have in common

    Sara K. Zachman, MD, MPH
  • What do cement trucks and health care have in common?

    C. Todd Staub, MD
  • Health care and the airline industry have a lot in common

    Abraham Morse, MD, MBA
  • A medical student learns to listen with her hands

    Simone Phillips
  • We have an obligation to keep firearms out of the hands of children

    Shayla A. Sullivant, MD

More in Conditions

  • From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU

    Ton La, Jr., MD, JD
  • The beauty of a patient’s gratitude

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement

    Debbie Moore-Black, RN
  • Overcoming Parkinson’s: a journey of laughter and resilience

    Cynthia Poire Mathews, FNP
  • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

    Denise Reich
  • Maximize sleep efficiency with stimulus control

    Pedram Navab, DO
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives

      James Young, MD | Physician
    • Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

      Jack Resneck, Jr., MD | Physician
    • From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From license to loneliness: the dilemma of retired physicians

      Richard Plotzker, MD | Physician
    • Tackling the health care crisis with artificial intelligence: Combating physician and nursing shortages in the United States

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Conditions
    • Unlearning our habits: a journey from intelligence to wisdom

      Brian Sayers, MD | Physician
    • Lessons from an orthopedic surgery journey [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Experts Call for PBM Transparency During Senate Hearing
  • Want to Fix Medicare Pay for Primary Care Docs? How About Two Fee Schedules?
  • OTC Narcan Approval Opens New Doors in Fight Against Opioid Crisis
  • U.S. 'Flying Blind' When It Comes to Data on Substance Use in Pregnancy
  • Fear of Family Separation a Barrier to Addiction Care During Pregnancy

Meeting Coverage

  • VTE Risk in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Increases With More Lines of Chemotherapy
  • Obesity's Impact on Uterine Cancer Risk Greater in Younger Age Groups
  • Oral Roflumilast Effective in the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis
  • Phase III Trials 'Hit a Home Run' in Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Cannabis Use Common in Post-Surgery Patients on Opioid Tapering
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Beyond pizza and pens: National Doctors’ Day should be about saving lives

      James Young, MD | Physician
    • Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

      Jack Resneck, Jr., MD | Physician
    • From clocking in to clocking out: the transition to retirement

      Debbie Moore-Black, RN | Conditions
    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • The Titanic sinking: a metaphor for the impending collapse of medicine

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD & Shreekant Vasudhev, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How understanding cultural backgrounds can lead to better patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From license to loneliness: the dilemma of retired physicians

      Richard Plotzker, MD | Physician
    • Tackling the health care crisis with artificial intelligence: Combating physician and nursing shortages in the United States

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Conditions
    • Unlearning our habits: a journey from intelligence to wisdom

      Brian Sayers, MD | Physician
    • Lessons from an orthopedic surgery journey [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...