MacBore.com

Beware the iPod Finger!
There's a new warning from the British Chiropractic Association.
"‘iPod finger’ is an injury that affects the finger of music-mad consumers who are constantly using the scroll-wheel or buttons on their MP3 players to organise their song library, update playlists and adjust volume of their favourite artists.

Portable music jukeboxes are the most fashionable item on the highstreet today, with people listening to their favourite songs on their way to work, in the gym and even at home. Arguably the market leader is Apple’s stylish iPod, a slim line MP3 player not much larger than a credit card, which can store in the region of 1500 songs. This has launched the phenomenon of listening to your favourite tunes wherever and whenever you want – to such an extent that users in U.S. have developed a debilitating medical condition from it.

Although complaints of MP3 player-related injuries have not reached high levels as yet, the British Chiropractic Association’s Dr Carl Irwin feels that it is only a matter of time: “Hand-held music machines are extremely popular and users are constantly using small, difficult buttons with the same finger in a repetitive motion. The nature of modern technology means that these devices are only going to be getting smaller and I would not be surprised if hand and finger related injuries become one of the most common RSIs that chiropractors treat.”

“Young children are particularly susceptible – their bones and muscles are not fully developed, meaning they are at more risk than adults. The best way to avoid injury is to flex your hand muscles as this will keep the blood flowing and will break up the repetition. Varying the finger that you use to operate your MP3 player will also prevent injury”