Recent Blog Articles

If cannabis becomes a problem: How to manage withdrawal

Corneal transplants becoming more common

An emerging treatment option for men on active surveillance

Gun violence: A long-lasting toll on children and teens

Adult female acne: Why it happens and the emotional toll

Talking to your doctor about your LGBTQ+ sex life

Untangling grief: Living beyond a great loss

Thunderstorm asthma: Bad weather, allergies, and asthma attacks

Heart problems and the heat: What to know and do

I’m too young to have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, right?
Pain
Typing and tapping despite hand pain
- By Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Do stiff hands make it hard to use your smartphone or computer? Try these tips so you can keep using your devices.
Thanks to technology, the world is at your fingertips. All it takes is tapping on a smartphone, typing on a keyboard, or clicking with a mouse. That’s not so easy, however, when it irritates underlying conditions, such as tendinitis or arthritis.
"The problem is the repetitive movement of your fingers on a keyboard or reaching and stretching your fingers on a mouse. With a phone, it’s the repetitive movement with one hand and sustained grasping with the other hand," explains Eve Kennedy-Spaien, clinical supervisor of the Pain Management, Work Injury, and Integrative Medicine Programs at Harvard-affiliated Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…

Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong, pain-free hands
Beneath the skin, your hands are an intricate architecture of tendons, joints, ligaments, nerves, and bones. Each of these structures is vulnerable to damage from illness or injury. If your hands hurt, even simple tasks can become a painful ordeal. Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong, pain-free hands describes the causes and treatments for many conditions that can cause hand pain. It also features information on hand exercises, as well as handy tools and other gadgets that take strain off your hands.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!