30-second moves to end ‘ techno pain’
Between emailing invitations, texting directions to guests, and sharing holiday photos, no wonder pain from device usage (dubbed technomyalgia) plagues up to 85% of us at this time of year. Here’s help!
Halts hand pain: A brrr plunge
Your risk of stiff hands increases by 67% when you spend a lot of time typing on a handheld device, report Cleveland Clinic researchers. The quickest fix? Plunge your hands into a sink of chilly water for 30 seconds while massaging your finger and thumb joints. The sudden temperature drop calms overactive pain nerves, while gentle joint rubs flush out trapped fluid and inflammation.
Nixes neck stiffness: A rose oil rub
Staring down at a device raises your risk of neck pain by 76%, since this position exerts 60 pounds of force on weary neck muscles. Good news: Stanford University
researchers say massaging rose essential oil onto tight spots (dab 12 drops in a palmful of lotion) eases aches in 30 seconds—and doing it twice daily cuts your risk of future flare-ups by 55%. Credit rose oil’s phytochemicals, which relax muscles, boost blood flow and reduce swelling.
Bans backaches: A simple squeeze
Hours spent hunched over keyboards and phones strains back muscles, triggering pain for 85% of women studied. To limber up, “roll your shoulders up and back, then squeeze shoulder blades together as if you’re trying to hold a ball between them,” suggests orthopedic surgeon Anthony Kouri, M.D. “Hold for 10 seconds and relax; repeat twice.” Bonus: University of Toledo scientists
say doing this exercise every hour helps improve posture, cutting the risk of future aches in half.
Soothes eyes: A gentle massage
You blink 60% less frequently when you’re focused on screens, and less blinking means less moisture released from eyelid glands, which makes for itchy, irritated eyes, explains optometrist Mike Millodot, O.D. To relieve them, gently massage your lids, brows and cheekbones for 30 seconds. Canadian researchers say this trick flushes away inflammation and stimulates the release of soothing tears and protective oils.