Hoda Kotb, an award-winning journalist and co-anchor on NBC’s Today, recently went to her doctor for pain and aches in her elbow. She hadn’t been doing anything unusual, so she couldn’t begin to fathom why the joint was beginning to cause her pain.
The orthopedist asked her if she was playing tennis or ping pong, or doing anything to use her elbow. “I told him I was taking selfies,” Kotb said.
Her doctor then diagnosed her with “selfie elbow,” and recommended that she ice the joint and do certain exercises to ease the soreness. The angle at which you have to hold your phone to take a selfie bends your arm in an odd direction, straining your elbow as you take multiple shots in that position.
Sports medicine physician, Dr. Jordan Metzl, reassures those who might be affected by this condition. The problem at hand is just overuse. Repeating any action enough times, for a long enough duration, will have its consequences. It’s the same logic behind carpal tunnel and tendinitis.
The treatment is simple, and just as you would expect of any other muscle strain injury: Advil or another drug with similarly anti-inflammatory functions, ice, and stretching.
Dr. Metzl also (jokingly) advised his patients to “alternate their arms” and “start spreading the load.” “…maybe they can start stretching before they take selfies…”
But all jokes aside, there has been a definite rise in the number of tech-related injuries in teens. Dr. Charles Kim, a musculoskeletal rehab specialist, notes that he has seen far more teens for carpal tunnel or tendinitis symptoms than he has in previous years. “We are actually seeing a lot more distress injuries in younger patients because of the way they use technology.”
For those who are unwilling to give up their selfie-taking habits, Dr. Kim suggests investing in a selfie stick, which will take a lot of the strain off your arm. Otherwise, have someone else take the photo for you, or start taking your selfies more judiciously.
