• by October 21, 2005

Here's a good one on this getaway Friday. Consider "BlackBerry thumb," an affliction suffered by devotees of the (oh-so-addictive) CrackBerry, Treo, and other handheld gadgets that have tiny keyboards. Oh, my aching thumbs!

Apparently, people are coming down with BlackBerry thumb due to manic messaging all day long at work and after hours. An AP story today on the malady quotes one sufferer: "'It affects business because I can't whack away on my BlackBerry like I used to,' he said. 'It's just too painful.'" As with all repetitive stress problems, sufferers have to take breaks from the incessant tapping, build up muscles, and go to physical therapy.

"If you're trying to type 'War and Peace' with your thumbs, then you're going to have a problem," Alan Hedge, director of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory at Cornell University, told the AP.

The American Society of Hand Therapists issued an alert earlier this year, warning users of small electronic gadgets that excessive thumb use can lead to painful swelling of the sheath around the tendons in the thumb. Mmmm. The hand therapists suggest taking frequent short breaks from e-mailing, and resting one's arms on a pillow for support. The pillow thing doesn't really work when you're, uh, at work.

The thumb thing and wrist issues apparently have affected video game fans for years.

The Minute says: Get a life.