Thumb Pain from Smartphone Use? What New Research Shows
What new research shows, practical ways to reduce strain and when to seek specialist advice.
That dull ache at the base of your thumb after texting, scrolling or holding your phone may feel like a minor inconvenience. But if pain keeps returning, it can interfere with gripping, lifting and everyday activities.
A study published in International Orthopaedics in July 2026 has added to the discussion about smartphone habits and thumb side wrist symptoms. Here is what the evidence means for you, and when getting your wrist assessed is sensible. [1]
Key takeaway
Problematic smartphone use was associated with more thumb and wrist symptoms and more ultrasound findings in young adults
What did the 2026 study actually find?
Researchers assessed 477 university students aged 18 to 30. They used a smartphone addiction screening questionnaire, examined both wrists and used ultrasound to assess tendons in the first dorsal compartment near the thumb side of the wrist. [1]
More symptoms. Participants who screened positive for problematic smartphone use reported more thumb and wrist symptoms and higher pain scores.
More scan findings. Tendon sheath, retinacular and related ultrasound changes were more common in the group that screened positive.
Differences at six months. Among the 106 participants reassessed, those who no longer met the screening threshold tended to improve, whereas persistent problematic use was associated with persisting findings.
The researchers followed only a subgroup, did not randomly assign participants to reduce phone use and used a broad definition of a positive scan. Therefore, the study cannot show that reducing screen time reverses tendon injury.
Why might texting and scrolling aggravate your wrist?
Two tendons, the abductor pollicis longus (APL) and extensor pollicis brevis (EPB), pass through a narrow compartment near the radial styloid, the bony prominence on the thumb side of your wrist. Repeated thumb movement or holding the wrist in an awkward position may increase loading in this area. This is a plausible mechanism rather than a proven explanation for all wrist pain.
Photo: Finkelstein Test Arrow by James Heilman, MD, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY SA 4.0.
Could it be De Quervain’s tenosynovitis?
De Quervain’s is a painful condition involving tendons as they pass through a tunnel at the thumb side of the wrist. Typical features include tenderness, pain when moving the thumb or gripping, and sometimes local swelling. [2]
However, not all thumb pain is De Quervain’s. Thumb base arthritis, a sprain, other tendon problems and occasionally nerve conditions can produce overlapping symptoms. A clinical history and examination are the starting point for diagnosis.
For a detailed explanation, see: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis: symptoms and treatment
Five practical ways to reduce thumb and wrist strain
Take regular breaks from prolonged scrolling or texting, especially when symptoms begin.
Share the work between both hands and consider using your index finger instead of relying on one thumb.
Change your grip and aim to keep your wrist relatively straight rather than holding it bent for long periods.
Use voice input, a phone stand or another device when you have a lot to type.
If an activity causes pain, reduce or modify it for a period rather than repeatedly pushing through it.
These are reasonable ergonomic measures, not a proven way to prevent De Quervain’s. You do not necessarily need to stop using your smartphone. [2,3]
Pain that keeps coming back deserves an explanation.
If thumb or wrist pain is limiting work, exercise or daily life, an assessment can help identify the likely cause and whether treatment is needed.
When should you seek an assessment?
Consider professional advice if pain is persistent or worsening, you notice local swelling or tenderness, your grip or pinch is affected, or simple activity changes are not helping.
Seek urgent medical assessment after significant injury or if you have marked swelling, redness, fever, new severe weakness or loss of sensation.
Does every painful wrist need an ultrasound scan?
No. De Quervain’s is often diagnosed clinically. Ultrasound can be useful when the diagnosis is uncertain, symptoms persist, or imaging could change the treatment plan. It can show the tendons, their sheath and anatomical variations, but minor ultrasound findings must always be interpreted alongside symptoms and examination.
At ACTIVATE Musculoskeletal Clinic, musculoskeletal ultrasound is available where clinically indicated. It is not a substitute for taking a careful history and examining the wrist.
What treatment may help?
Treatment depends on the diagnosis and symptom severity. For De Quervain’s, options include modifying aggravating activities, a suitable thumb and wrist splint, advice from a hand therapist and pain relief when safe for you. Many mild cases improve with conservative treatment. [2,3]
If symptoms persist, a corticosteroid injection into the affected tendon sheath may be considered after discussing benefits, risks and alternatives. Ultrasound guidance may be appropriate in selected patients. Surgery is usually reserved for persistent cases that have not responded to other measures. [2,3]
Further reading: How wrist injections are assessed and performed
Frequently asked questions
Can too much phone use cause De Quervain’s?
It may aggravate thumb side wrist pain in some people, but the 2026 observational study does not establish that it causes De Quervain’s. Other factors may be involved.
Will changing how I hold my phone cure my wrist pain?
Changing usage patterns may reduce symptom provoking strain. Persistent pain may have another cause and can need assessment or treatment.
Do I need an injection?
Not necessarily. Injection is one option for selected diagnosed conditions, not the automatic next step for all thumb or wrist pain.
Get to the cause of your thumb or wrist pain.
ACTIVATE Musculoskeletal Clinic offers doctor led MSK assessment, targeted ultrasound when appropriate and personalised treatment advice in Kent and London. You can book directly without a GP referral.
About the author
Dr Mustafa Alnaib MBChB, MRCS, MSc, FEBOT is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, MSK Doctor and Clinic Director of ACTIVATE Musculoskeletal Clinic. His clinical work includes the assessment of joint and tendon conditions, diagnostic ultrasound and image guided procedures.
Sources and further reading
Medical information is general and does not replace individual assessment. Photographs are used for editorial context and do not depict ACTIVATE patients or procedures.
