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December 14, 2007

A Case Of Blackberry Thumb

After reading about if for years, I finally have met a client who presented with a touch of Blackberry thumb. Upon palpation I felt a lot of tension in the muscles at the base of the thumb, especially at the lowest joint up next to the bone and into the webbing between the thumb and index finger. My client said it probably resulted from intensive texting and rotating a ball around with the thumb. I massaged the muscles around the joint and through the webbing of the thumb until the tension was melted away.

Since this area is so close to the classic analgesic point for headaches, I wondered if Blackberry thumb causes headaches in its sufferers. The congestion I feel in the webbing of the thumb in headache sufferers is more central a puffy feeling upon palpation.

Symptoms of Blackberry thumb include:
* Pain: At the base of the thumb which may continue even when the thumb is not being used
* Ache: In the thumb web space or base of thumb joint
* Muscle tension: In the web space between the thumb and index finger
Prevention and treatment:
* Rest: Stop doing what makes it hurt. This important phase allows the body to start healing.
* Gentle stretching and massage: Reducing muscle tension will improve flexibility and resolve the achy sensation. Less muscle tension means less force on the tendons and less chance of developing tendonitis.
* Balancing of muscle strength: Strengthening weak muscles and loosening tight muscles is crucial to achieving full recovery.

tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health

Posted by linda at December 14, 2007 7:32 PM