Gen Z's pinky finger is crooked from phone overuse: All about the 'phone pinky' syndrome

If you spend most of your day scrolling through reels and shorts on your phone, it's not just your mental health that's taking a hit—your physical health is at risk too. The latest issue, dubbed "phone pinky" syndrome, is becoming a growing concern on social media.

If you've noticed a dent, bump, or bend on your pinky from endlessly holding your phone, welcome to the "phone pinky" club—a phenomenon that's gone viral on TikTok.?

The New York Post describes it as a result of the phone's weight pressing on the fifth digit for long periods, leaving some influencers quite literally bent out of shape.?

TikToker girlboss4lyfe proudly displayed her dramatically curved pinky, claiming, "I think I win this trend," while racking up 1.4 million views.?

Meanwhile, influencer Morgan Houghton decided to take a much-needed "brain break" after discovering a dent on her pinky.

Credit: NY Post

But is "phone pinky" a real medical condition? According to Dr. Peter Evans, an orthopedic surgeon, constantly resting your phone on your pinky could compress a nerve, potentially leading to numbness, tingling, or joint problems in the thumbs and elbows.?

However, the Cleveland Clinic notes that not every pinky dent indicates an issue.

This trend is reminiscent of "Blackberry Thumb," which plagued users of early 2000s devices with thumb pain and motor function problems.?

The Hospital for Special Surgery defines "Blackberry Thumb" as a condition resulting from overuse of BlackBerry devices, where excessive typing strains the tendons in the thumbs. This problem arose from the typing position, where palms are held close together, causing strain from the thumb to the wrist.

With Indians now averaging 4 hours and 5 minutes on their phones daily, as per InMobi's 2024 Mobile Marketing Handbook, we better watch out for our pinkies.

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