Claim: Arthritis comes from too much texting

Question

This claim is partly true. Arthritis can come from many different things but mostly comes from repeated movements and affects the joints used to make that movement. When texting, you are moving your fingers in a rapid unnatural movement. This causes strain on the joints and arthritis may develop overtime with age or genetic makeup depending on the individual.

Answer 1

This claim is partly true, but it’s not fully proven. Texting and other phone use can cause thumb and joint pain because of how much pressure and movement the fingers and wrists go through. Over time, that can lead to soreness or inflammation, especially in the thumb joint. However, arthritis itself usually develops from several factors like age, genetics, or long-term joint wear, not just texting alone. So while texting can contribute to discomfort or strain, it’s not accurate to say it directly causes arthritis.

Sources:

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/can-texting-give-you-arthritis

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/is-there-a-link-between-hand-pain-and-your-smartphone-use

https://orthopedicspecialistsofseattle.com/healthcare/symptoms/the-21st-century-thumb-texting-can-lead-to-thumb-arthritis/

Answer 2

While it would make complete sense, the claim that arthritis comes from texting is not really correct. There isn't a direct, identified link between the two. UCLA health explained that thumb arthritis is very common because of how frequently we use our thumbs, and such frequency is heightened with all the texting we do. Texting "can lead to tendonitis and inflammation of the thumb flexor and tendons," both problems associated with overuse. Yes, over time overuse can play a role in the development in arthritis, but these physical impacts of texting are not causes of arthritis. Healthpointe explained that "there is no evidence to suggest that texting or using handheld devices can cause arthritis directly. " It can cause "texting thumb," a condition that can cause pain/swelling and stiffness in the thumb. But those symptoms are not aligned with the symptoms of arthritis. UCLA Health did make a note that "Texting is still a relatively new activity and arthritis can take many decades to develop," so we potentially don't have to remove it fully as a possible connection.

Answer 3

This claim is true to an extent. The extent is that the position your hand is in while gripping your phone, and the movement of your fingers during texting is similar to what scientist believe are the causes of Arthritis. However claiming that texting is a culprit of Arthritis is too vague to say for sure. I fact checked this by doing research that explored this claim, finding an article by credible website UCLA Health. UCLA Health stated that texting being a somewhat new activity and arthritis having to take decades to obtain, it is uncertain that texting is a direct cause of arthritis, until further data is made. Furthermore, a study made by the National Institutes of Health indicates that with a thirty-three year old women, data from an MRI shows swelling in her hand which could have been led to her prolonged texting. Overall claiming that "to much texting" can cause arthritis is misleading because it doesn't inherently cause the disorder but may lead to it in the future. 

Source:

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/can-texting-give-you-arthritis

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4719275/