A doctor has spoken out after social media users claimed that their smartphones are changing the shape of their little fingers.
The latest health scare sweeping online platforms, mainly TikTok, is an apparent deformity that many people claim comes from holding their mobile phones for too long.
The self-diagnosed condition has been anointed as the “phone pinky," and those affected are reporting a big indent in their smallest finger, which is believed to have been caused by the weight of their device.
The hashtag for the strange phenomenon has over 903 posts on TikTok, and there are plenty of examples from many people who claim to have it themselves.
Check out one example below:One TikToker who goes by the handle @galaleee showed off her pinky and pointed to the extreme bend in a video that has amassed 3.1 million viewers.
“THANK GOD IM NOT THE ONLY ONE,” one user exclaimed in the comment section. “Damn… I’m self-conscious of my pinky now," a second remarked.
A third user wrote under another video shared by @kendall.rene: "Legit was like 'no way it’s actually that bad' then I looked at mine and actually said 'oh no'"
One woman's jaw dropped when she compared her left hand to her right, which holds her phone, and she saw the major difference. “I can’t put it straight,” she explained of her bent pinky finger. “I’m shaking trying to... it’s broke.”
Watch the clip below:Sydney medical practitioner, Dr. Zac Turner, who specializes in preventive health and wellness, has weighed in on the discussion, and revealed that he has treated patients who have complained about the pain they are experiencing because of the “phone pinky".
“At least once a fortnight, I will see someone who has some sort of issue caused by mobile phone usage,” Turner told News.com.au. “Funnily enough, I am seeing teenagers coming in with pain, almost like a ‘trigger finger’ which occurs when you close your fist and open your fingers up."
“It’s caused by a little bit of calculus that sits along the tendons and ligaments that causes a pain and stiffness when bending and straightening their digits," he continued. "The other age group though is the over 65s, they’re all on their phones, they’re all on socials, and they’re doing it one handed."
“I’ve got a number of patients with calluses on their hands created by the phone rubbing on their hand, causing a pressure point," he added.
The professional explained that in some cases, it can develop into carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a common hand condition that is caused by "pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the wrist," per Mayo Clinic.
Some users fear the alarming dent from where the phone sits on their little finger is permanent, but Dr. Zac has revealed that in most cases, it can be treated.
“I have made a lot of patients buy phone mounts for their homes which takes the strain off their fingers,” he explained. “As well as changing up how you hold the phone, patients can do exercises, such as using one of those spring-loaded devices you can squeeze to improve grip strength or a stress ball."
“You also can try swapping hands and fingers and start using the voice-to-text feature found on most smartphones, as a lot of the issues arise from tapping away," he concluded.
Looks like it's time for you to put your phone down!
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