Physical therapists have started seeing cases of what they call "BlackBerry Thumb" — chronic pain in one's fingers from overuse of handheld devices such as BlackBerries, Treos and Sidekicks.

Typing with your thumbs "hour after hour without taking breaks is a tremendous amount of stress to the joints in the hand," says Margot Miller, a physical therapist with WorkWell Systems in Duluth, Minn. and a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Not only are the thumbs the least dexterous of all the fingers, but people often use handhelds all day and in awkward positions, she adds. Those factors make "BlackBerry Thumb" among the most insidious of repetitive strain injuries — even worse than typing on a keyboard — which has the APTA worried and on guard.

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WHAT IS 'BLACKBERRY THUMB,' PRECISELY?

"It really is a catchall phrase for repetitive stress causing pain and numbness in the thumbs and the joints of the hands, and it's from using the small hand-held devices," Miller says. Symptoms range from swelling to throbbing to tendinitis.

The pain can become so intense that a person has trouble grasping objects -- even picking up a cup of coffee or lifting a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator, she says. In the worst-case-scenarios, a patient might even need cortisone shots for the pain or surgery to repair the tendons in the arm.

"So we want to keep it so it doesn't get that bad."

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WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT IT?

Not enough, Miller says. While many employers educate their workers about the repetitive strain injuries from typing at a computer keyboard, handhelds don't get that attention because workers tend to use them outside the office or even on their own time.

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SO, OUR MACHINES ARE TRYING TO KILL US, RIGHT?

"Technology has been just a boon to everything we're doing. It keeps us connected and brings the world into your office — but your body pays for all that," Miller says.

Despite increased awareness about repetitive strain injuries over the past decade, cases are still on the rise, she says. The APTA reports that it is the fastest-growing injury category and accounts for a third of workplace injuries.

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Tips from the American Physical Therapy Association on how to avoid "Blackberry Thumb":

• Take frequent breaks from your personal digital assistant. "It was not designed for writing a thesis, writing a big report. It was meant to be a quick message sender," Miller says.
  
• Write fewer and shorter messages. And, use abbreviations, the APTA advises. "C U 2moro" may be anathema to language lovers, but your thumbs will thank you.
  
• Support your wrists so they are upright, and not flexed or bent. One way is to place a support on your lap.
  
• Try to avoid thumb-typing — use your other fingers as well.

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The APTA also suggests exercises for sore hands, such as:

• "Tap each finger with the thumb of the same hand. Repeat five times."
  
• "Alternate tapping the palm of your hand and the back of your hand against your thigh as quickly as you can. Repeat 20 times."
  
• "Open up your hands and spread fingers as far apart as possible. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat eight times."
  
• "Fold your hands together; turn your palms away from your body as you extend your arms forward. You should only feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat eight times."
  
• "Fold your hands together; turn your palms away from your body and extend your arms overhead. You should feel the stretch in your upper torso and shoulders to hand. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat eight times."

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Stephanie Hoo is asap's business writer.

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