1. The BlackBerry
Thumb Hazards

2. Research In Motion (RIM) may have succeeded in making their own BlackBerry
ecosystem by selling BlackBerry to the rich, the famous and the working people but
it did not succeed in making it foolproof. Reports and studies have surfaced about
the well-loved, and very addicting, smartphone and it says having Berry Thumb is
not a very good sign in the workplace. If you’re feeling like this describes you,
recycle and sell your BlackBerry now.
BlackBerry has been listed in the potential health hazards in the workplace for
employees. Lawyers and experts warned employers to supervise and check the use
of their handheld devices during work and ensure that it is being used according to
the health and safety policies of every company to avoid repetitive strain injuries.
Unlike what a lot of BB users think, the BlackBerry Thumb is not just hype or a name
for people who love BlackBerry smartphones so bad they’ve turned their thumbs
violet while using it. It’s actually a coined term or a neologism for the form of
repetitive strain injuries caused by the excessive use of any mobile device. It was
coined after BlackBerry because in 1999, selling BlackBerry smartphones, RIM made
a fortune. Studies show that the BlackBerry thumb is a common problem in offices
because BlackBerry phones are frequently used for work purposes. The ability to
access the web and email means that you can work for longer periods of time and
even when you’re away from the office cubicle.
The reason for this disease is fairly simple, according to the orthopedic professors in
the Imperial College of London. Actually, the thumb is not as flexible as the fingers
and they are not intended to type paragraphs by moving the same way as when
we are typing on a keyboard. The repeated use of BlackBerry for instance can
affect the joint bottom of the thumb causing irritation and pain in the tendon.

3. An American banker is said to be the first person to undergo surgery for a
BlackBerry thumb. The said female banker spent a total of 12 hours a day on her
smartphone using text messaging and email because she had benn doing business
with customers. The continuous repetition cause her tendons in the finger to
become inflames so she had to undergo surgery.
Repetitive motion injuries are very common in the workplace. The use of computers
and other tools that require small movements are repeated again and again can
lead to about 100,000 employees to suffer from repetitive stress injury.
Meanwhile, employers are not exactly alien to this type of personal injury claims
that employees may use. However, lawyers are warning employers to include in
their company’s chealth and safety policy some ways to minimize the risk of
BlackBerry thumb in case of requiring staff to use a BlackBerry, or any other devices,
for work purposes. Otherwise, employers may face an overwhelming number of
requests for personal injury compensation.If you don’t want to get a Berry thumb,
try selling BlackBerry now!
Source:http://www.cashforberrys.com/cfb/news/article/the_blackberry_thumb_hazards